Threat of the Shadow Mage

ASPEN WAS WELL OUT OF IT, BUT SHE COULD HEAR VOICES AND SEE figures of light walk past her. She couldn’t rightly understand what they were saying, for they were speaking another form of Elvish, but being in the situation she was in, she couldn’t really care. Her body needed rest.

“Where was it you found her, Dante?”

“She had just entered the forest on the eastern side when I saw her. By the looks of it, she looked like she was about to fall so I went over and caught her before she hit her head.” “The eastern part of the forest?”

“Yes.”

“Poor thing. She’d been running for some time, based on her condition. I wonder what she was running from.”

It was the next day before Aspen fully woke. She looked around to see where she was, seeing she was no longer outdoors. As she started to prop herself up, a sharp pain shot through her arm. “Ah,” she grabbed her arm but didn’t feel skin. Looking down, she found that her arm had been broken. It was wrapped carefully with a very soft material; almost like rabbit fur. Then something caught her eye, and she thought another elf was in the room. Aspen looked up, but it was a mirror. “What happened to me?” Scratches were everywhere. A slash from a branch, no doubt, barely missed the edge of her eye, and that same area was red around her eye. Her arms were almost covered with scrapes and bruises.

Just then, a bit older elven lady came through the door with a rag and bowl in hand. Seeing Aspen up, she said, “The sleeping beauty awakes,” and set the bowl down across from the bed. “That’s a good sign.” She came over after wetting the rag and came to sit beside her. “How’s your arm dear?” she asked Aspen.

Aspen looked at her arm, but had no words to say. “You don’t have to speak sweetheart. You can think it, and I’ll be able to hear you.” She looked up at the lady.

“It hurts. What happened to me? Where am I?” “You’ve broken your wrist and fractured a part of your arm not too far from it. As to where you are, you’re in the northern kingdom of Bellae.” The lady dabbed the cloth on Aspen’s wounds on her other arm.

Aspen winced as she dabbed an open wound, but the pain ceased a short moment after. She looked at her arm, and she watched as the wounds and bruises shrink and disappear; as if they never existed.

“You were lucky you know.” The lady then said. Aspen looked at her confused.

“As you entered our part of the kingdom, a young elf happened to be walking through there and saw you. He was the one who brought you in for medicine.” She still dabbed at her arm, and Aspen returned her gaze to her arm. “It’s the water of the trees; their waters have a healing power, and it can heal just about anything.” “Even my wrist?” Aspen thought.

“Even your wrist. There’s a cloth with it under that wrapping, and it should be taking effect right about now.”

Aspen turned to the wrap and moved her arm around.

“Why don’t you take it off?” the lady said as she stopped dabbing her arm.

Aspen did so, but slowly. She removed the wrap, and then pulled up the cloth.

Rolling her wrist around, there was no pain. She used her other hand and pressed on the area just above it, and had the same result.

“Well where are my manners? My name is Lillian Gambetta; I am the Medical Chief of this part of the forest.”

“I’m Aspen Silvertongue. I’m no one special,” she joked.

“Everyone is special, Aspen. Now, what was it you were running from?”

Aspen forgot for a moment, but then her memory came back to her. “I was running from a mob that wanted to catch me and hand me over to the Shadow Mages.” “Oh my. Why would they want to do such a thing to such a pretty young lady like you?” Aspen didn’t want to say, but seeing that Miss Gambetta was there to help, she figured it was okay. “A long time ago, my father was looking for a bride. He held a courting party, and the king and his daughter came down because his daughter wanted to see my father. The two of them spoke in private, and then the king was asked to come in. The king made a false assumption based on my father’s rank but didn’t find out until after I was born.” Aspen told the story of her life, and Miss Gambetta listened carefully, trying to understand the situation. They spoke for almost an hour before Aspen began to come to the end of her tale. “The last time I saw my father was when he was being held in the air by a Mage before he was burnt and crystallized.” Tears began to flood her eyes, and she looked up as to not make them apparent. “His life ended with the exploding of his body. I was terrified…so I ran. It was his last request...”

“So you’ve been running for five days straight?” Miss Gambetta asked.

Aspen looked at her, her tears beginning to leave her. “No.” She sniffed. “I was caught that night, but not by the mob. When I woke, I found myself in a hidden cave that held a resistance, and the leader, or at least, I thought he was the leader, asked if I could teach him some spells so he could pass the knowledge down to his military leaders. I taught him, but then we were told that a mob had been spotted so he had me escorted by two others to start my journey. I ran for half of a day before I found a place to rest.” Aspen then told the other half of her story, and it was now clear as to why she had reached the kingdom of Bellae.

Lillian was silent for a moment as she thought. “Hmm. Well, you’re safe now. You made it, and that’s all that matters.” She smiled, and Aspen returned it. She felt better now that she spoke about the situation, but deep down she knew that it was up to her to end it all.

“SIR. THERE’S NO SIGN OF HER. We’ve turned the village inside out.” Akoff slowly turned his head to the side in acknowledgment, and his eyes were glowing in an angry fashion.

“Did you look at every hooded person before you slaughtered them?” he asked with a deep anger in his tone. The soldier’s stun silence said too much, and Akoff quickly turned and clutched the man’s throat.

“Then I suggest you go back and check every un-flipped hood until you are completely positive that she is not here.”

The man did his best to nod, and Akoff threw him back so he could start searching.

Tex had seen the whole thing and began to worry, but he knew he couldn’t make that fact obvious. Akoff saw him in the corner of his eye and looked at him.

“Tex.”

“Sire?” He bent in a slight bow and rose just as fast.

“I trust this mission to you and you alone. I will get my granddaughter back, and there will be consequences for all those helping in concealing her.” He began coming toward Tex. “You are, after all, the one who brought up this in the first place. You find her, bring her to me, and I will reward you beyond imagination.” “With all due respect your majesty, a small example of such a reward would be what?”

Akoff straightened his posture in admiration. “For starters…I believe an arranged marriage could be in order for a certain dark haired girl.” Tex smirked slyly, intrigued by the idea and accepted it knowing more was in stock. He quickly turned into mist and shot through the cave to head north.

A different soldier approached Akoff.

“Sire, still no sign of her, but we have found someone who might be of some use to us.”

Akoff acknowledged him and two other soldiers drug a man up the small rocky hill who was hooded and cloaked.

“And who is this?” Akoff asked.

The soldier on the man’s left pushed him down. “Ah, I would know that groan anywhere. It’s good to see you Greyhem. Brother of the late Sir Auron.” “And when is it ever a pleasure to see you, Akoff?” Cai asked as he stood.

“Oh do take that hood off Cai. I do so desire to see how your face looks when you die.” Akoff laughed, and Cai threw his hood back to make him stop. “Aw, so you do have a face. And a rather handsome one at that.” “The time before you die is not the time to give complements, Akoff.”

“The time before I die? Don’t overestimate yourself Cai. Pride always comes before a fall.”

“But it is not I who will fall.”

“We shall see.” Akoff said before he made a shot at Cai.

ASPEN WAS HEALED, AND WAS feeling much better. Her voice had not come to full function just yet, but she didn’t need one knowing that others could hear her thoughts through telepathy when they came into contact with her. The generous elves of the north fed and clothed her, and with their unique clothing, Aspen beamed a brighter beauty than ever before. She would stroll through the town to look around and then pass through the closest wood to admire the trees. Lillian had quickly made a friend with Aspen, and Aspen had made some new friends of her own. A little younger than Lillian, but none as young as she was.

A month had passed since she had arrived, and during her outings through the forest, she would glance to either side of her in her graceful manner and see a blond elf, probably not much older than her, watching in the distance. She was never close enough to see all his facial features, but she was constantly reminded of the blond elf that saved her from hitting her head in the woods the day she arrived. Was it him? Aspen didn’t think on it too much, but when he showed up more frequently, she began to get a little concerned. So after she finished her stroll, she went to Lillian and decided to ask her about it.

“Lillian?”

She turned from her project.

“Aw, Aspen. How are you my dear?”

“I’m doing well. I just have a question to ask you.”

“Then by all means, ask away.” She laughed. Aspen took a seat on the carved stool. “Who was it that brought me in from the outer woods?” Lillian turned and looked at her again. “Is something troubling you?” “In a way. I’ve been walking through the forest just over the ridge, and it seems that everywhere I look, there’s a blond elf watching me. I feel as if he’s following me.” “Have you seen him in the village?”

“No. And that’s just it. I practically know everyone in the village now, but I haven’t seen him anywhere.”

“A man? Blond you say?”

Aspen nodded.

“Oh you must be seeing Dante. He doesn’t live in the village. His home is in the forest. Dante was the one who carried you in.”

“Dante?”

“Yes. He’s such a good lad. Dante’s actually pretty handy around the village, but since his father died, he’s been staying around the house to help his dear mother.”

A pot from the fire pit began to whistle.

“Oh, I best get back to my cider. Don’t want to burn it.”

Aspen then repeated his name again in her mind, and asked herself questions about him all throughout the day. Even when her head hit the pillow she was thinking and asking.

The next morning, Aspen woke with the smell of cinnamon and cream streaming through the house. She went out and entered the meal nook finding Lillian putting a second plate down with cinnamon rolls and a very small pitcher of a thick cream.

“What’s this?”

“Good morning Aspen. I just thought that we could have a good breakfast today. Come, sit.” Aspen went over and took her designated seat. “This particular batch is a little different than what I usually whip up.” “What’s different?”

“Why don’t you take a bite or two and see for yourself?”

Aspen picked up the polished fork and cut a piece after Lillian put some of the cream over it. At first, nothing seemed different, but as she swallowed her second bite, she felt something happening in her throat. It wasn’t anything bad, she knew, because it felt like her voice was coming back.

She put her fingers to her neck.

“Well?” Lillian asked, hoping that what she did was working.

Feeling what remained of the bite go all the way down, she just barely opened her mouth. “Lillian,” she perked up. “I think that’s the most brilliant batch of rolls you’ve ever made.” Lillian sat back and smiled, pleased with her work.

“Thank you so much Lillian.”

“You’re quite welcome dear. Now,” she said as she sat forward again. “Eat up what’s left there, and we’ll head out.”

“Head out where?” Aspen asked a bit confused.

“I know you’ve been asking yourself about Dante all afternoon yesterday, and most of last night. I thought we could spruce you up and go pay him a visit.” Now inside, Aspen hated the idea, but as she thought it over, she thought that this was the chance to finally meet him face to face instead of glancing his way every day in the woods.