see,” he said. “Please continue.”
Lian nodded again. “I remember being scared,” he said. “Until I saw him raise his hand toward Kane. Then I got mad. I can’t explain it. It’s fuzzy, I guess. I just knew I had to stop him, and then I felt something. I drew the sword…” Lian paused and looked up to Elinar. “Then, blood. That’s all I remember.”
Elinar remained silent for a moment. “I see,” he said finally. “There is much to tell you, Lian… But not now. We must ride farther north. Our post isn’t far. We should arrive around sunset.”
Lian nodded and looked to Kane. “Kane can come too, right?”
Elinar laughed. “I don’t think he would have it any other way,” he said. “I think he’d follow you to the ends of the world.”
Lian smiled and stood up. “Thanks!” He patted Kane’s head. “You ready, boy?” Kane nodded his head happily.
Elinar smiled, standing. “Are you ready?”
Lian nodded. “Whenever you are.”
Elinar smiled and motioned for the boy to come over to the horse, helping him to mount.
He mounted the horse behind Lian and called to his riders, “Mount up,” said Elinar. “We ride.”
The Riders quickly mounted their horses.
Elinar kicked his horse and stepped off into the shallow stream. His riders swiftly followed. They crossed the stream and set off once again into the forest. Kane ran swiftly beside Elinar’s horse. The forest grew thicker the farther they traveled and forced the riders to move single file behind Elinar. The canopy was thick, allowing very little light to penetrate the tree tops. Lian watched his surroundings while they traveled the forest. It was an amazing sight for him, to finally see the wonders beyond the valley. He was eager to leave behind the horrors that he had escaped. In the distance, Lian could see a large doorway. They drew closer to it. He saw stone walls that were nearly overtaken by the vegetation of the forest. The doors began to open inward, and the riders entered them one after another. Lian’s eyes widened. Inside, he saw wooden houses with green stained glass windows, far more elegantly constructed than anything he had ever seen. Along the top of the walls, he saw vigilant elves. Throughout the square, he saw many elven people. The women wore long, flowing dresses, and the men wore robes of a similar fashion. He watched as elven children chased one another playfully. Lian had never seen anything like this. Elinar came to a halt, as did the riders behind him.
Elinar turned to face his riders. “Stable your horses and return to your families!”
The Riders rode deeper into the outpost. Elinar dismounted his horse while Lian jumped off right behind him. Kane brushed his furry head against Lian’s leg. Elinar’s Lieutenant approached them, leading her horse. She had black hair and brown eyes.
The Lieutenant looked to Elinar. “Any further orders for me, sir?” she asked.
“Yes actually,” said Elinar. “But first I want to introduce you to Lian.” He nodded to the boy. “Lian, this is lieutenant Teelia Solanas.”
Lian smiled at Teelia. “Pleased to meet you, Miss Solanas.”
Teelia smiled. “So polite. But that is not necessary. You may call me Teelia.”
Lian smiled and nodded. “Alright, Teelia.”
Teelia looked back to Elinar. “Your orders, sir?”
Elinar nodded at Teelia. “Fetch our other guest,” he said. “I’m sure she will be delighted to meet young Lian. Then, I want you to place the sword in our chamber. That can wait until tomorrow.”
Teelia looked to Lian and smiled. “As you command, Sir.”
Teelia turned and began leading her horse away. She looked back briefly and winked at Elinar.
Lian looked up to Elinar, puzzled. “I wonder who it is,” he thought. He looked down to Kane, patting his head, then looked back to Elinar and
Lian nodded again. “I remember being scared,” he said. “Until I saw him raise his hand toward Kane. Then I got mad. I can’t explain it. It’s fuzzy, I guess. I just knew I had to stop him, and then I felt something. I drew the sword…” Lian paused and looked up to Elinar. “Then, blood. That’s all I remember.”
Elinar remained silent for a moment. “I see,” he said finally. “There is much to tell you, Lian… But not now. We must ride farther north. Our post isn’t far. We should arrive around sunset.”
Lian nodded and looked to Kane. “Kane can come too, right?”
Elinar laughed. “I don’t think he would have it any other way,” he said. “I think he’d follow you to the ends of the world.”
Lian smiled and stood up. “Thanks!” He patted Kane’s head. “You ready, boy?” Kane nodded his head happily.
Elinar smiled, standing. “Are you ready?”
Lian nodded. “Whenever you are.”
Elinar smiled and motioned for the boy to come over to the horse, helping him to mount.
He mounted the horse behind Lian and called to his riders, “Mount up,” said Elinar. “We ride.”
The Riders quickly mounted their horses.
Elinar kicked his horse and stepped off into the shallow stream. His riders swiftly followed. They crossed the stream and set off once again into the forest. Kane ran swiftly beside Elinar’s horse. The forest grew thicker the farther they traveled and forced the riders to move single file behind Elinar. The canopy was thick, allowing very little light to penetrate the tree tops. Lian watched his surroundings while they traveled the forest. It was an amazing sight for him, to finally see the wonders beyond the valley. He was eager to leave behind the horrors that he had escaped. In the distance, Lian could see a large doorway. They drew closer to it. He saw stone walls that were nearly overtaken by the vegetation of the forest. The doors began to open inward, and the riders entered them one after another. Lian’s eyes widened. Inside, he saw wooden houses with green stained glass windows, far more elegantly constructed than anything he had ever seen. Along the top of the walls, he saw vigilant elves. Throughout the square, he saw many elven people. The women wore long, flowing dresses, and the men wore robes of a similar fashion. He watched as elven children chased one another playfully. Lian had never seen anything like this. Elinar came to a halt, as did the riders behind him.
Elinar turned to face his riders. “Stable your horses and return to your families!”
The Riders rode deeper into the outpost. Elinar dismounted his horse while Lian jumped off right behind him. Kane brushed his furry head against Lian’s leg. Elinar’s Lieutenant approached them, leading her horse. She had black hair and brown eyes.
The Lieutenant looked to Elinar. “Any further orders for me, sir?” she asked.
“Yes actually,” said Elinar. “But first I want to introduce you to Lian.” He nodded to the boy. “Lian, this is lieutenant Teelia Solanas.”
Lian smiled at Teelia. “Pleased to meet you, Miss Solanas.”
Teelia smiled. “So polite. But that is not necessary. You may call me Teelia.”
Lian smiled and nodded. “Alright, Teelia.”
Teelia looked back to Elinar. “Your orders, sir?”
Elinar nodded at Teelia. “Fetch our other guest,” he said. “I’m sure she will be delighted to meet young Lian. Then, I want you to place the sword in our chamber. That can wait until tomorrow.”
Teelia looked to Lian and smiled. “As you command, Sir.”
Teelia turned and began leading her horse away. She looked back briefly and winked at Elinar.
Lian looked up to Elinar, puzzled. “I wonder who it is,” he thought. He looked down to Kane, patting his head, then looked back to Elinar and
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