mundane humans and I found a picture of bronze bears playing on rocks above a waterfall. I've collected waterfall pictures for years. When I first started my collection, I bought pictures, but last Christmas Sarah gave me a new digital Canon. I love it! It made collecting a lot more fun. Now, I took my own pictures and I really wanted a picture of the bears.
I glanced toward the dark trees; the river called to me. Trellick Valley covered the same area of land as Tulsa, but in my home valley the river area was surrounded wilderness, not a big city. I wondered if the river looked as different as it smelled.
On impulse, I turned off the paved path, heading into the forest of trees that skirted the river. The wooded area that lay between the walkway and the river wasn't very wide, but it had a thick undergrowth of spindly trees and bushes.
A dozen feet into the wooded area I found a small clearing, not very big and not at all interesting. I crossed it with quick steps, eager to see the river before Fritz came looking for me. I was nearly at the far edge when the sudden presence of a gateway stopped me cold. The surge of power tingled across my skin, forcing chill bumps to bloom across my skin.
Gateways existed all across the world, but since they didn't normally pop into existence, at the drop of a hat, the presence of one spelled trouble.
I shuddered and fear skittered down my back. A random gateway was not normal; a single wild gateway might open every thousand years, but that was it. Whatever was going on, it must be really bad.
Yeah, I was a true pessimist; it made me feel better when the bottom dropped out.
I held my breath and turned toward the source of the surging power. Sure enough, less than ten feet away from me, a gateway stood open. A mundane human would never see large archway, but to my Sídhí eyes it glowed with a soft yellowish-white hue. I glanced past the edges and into an expensively decorated room, realizing it definitely wasn't a wild gateway. I really wish it had been.
~ ~ ~
“Chi’Kehra!” Duke Kin'Tick called from the end of the long hallway. His short, plump legs pumped as he rushed toward the elvish monarch. His blond hair streaked with darts of contrasting black, flopped around his shoulders. His brown elvish eyes sparked with eagerness; he looked like a squealing pig waiting for dinner.
Chi’Kehra stifled a groan, ignoring the urgency in the man's voice. With a swift move, Chi’Kehra entered his private suite of rooms, letting his guards deal with the pest who had shadowed his every step the entire morning.
He was sick of the constant court intrigue; the never-ending plays for more power. It seemed like everyone wanted something from him; even the royal advisors had one or two or a dozen ulterior motives. The few people he completely trusted rarely visited the capital.
He detested his trips to Elfheim, the capital city, which lay sprawled across the entire width and length of the Valley of Elfheim. The city was filled with spiraling towers, vast gardens, beautiful art, and – constant – political games. If it hadn't been for the nasty games and the political backbiting the elvish nobles played, he might have enjoyed the occasional trip.
Unfortunately, Duke Kin'Tick was only one of many courtiers who fought for more power, loving the intrigue of court life. Every noble, within the elvish royal houses, hoped to gather power by currying favor with the ruling monarch.
The fake flattery was sickening, especially when he was the recipient of so much of it.
He shoved the tedious thoughts away and walked through his sprawling suite of rooms, passing silent guards and a half dozen extravagantly decorated rooms, before sighing in relief.
He closed the door to his receiving room and leaned against it. Only here, did he have true privacy. The entire royal suite had a silencing layer around it, - manipulated synth crystal added into the very walls of the castle by the Court Fairy, - but his
I glanced toward the dark trees; the river called to me. Trellick Valley covered the same area of land as Tulsa, but in my home valley the river area was surrounded wilderness, not a big city. I wondered if the river looked as different as it smelled.
On impulse, I turned off the paved path, heading into the forest of trees that skirted the river. The wooded area that lay between the walkway and the river wasn't very wide, but it had a thick undergrowth of spindly trees and bushes.
A dozen feet into the wooded area I found a small clearing, not very big and not at all interesting. I crossed it with quick steps, eager to see the river before Fritz came looking for me. I was nearly at the far edge when the sudden presence of a gateway stopped me cold. The surge of power tingled across my skin, forcing chill bumps to bloom across my skin.
Gateways existed all across the world, but since they didn't normally pop into existence, at the drop of a hat, the presence of one spelled trouble.
I shuddered and fear skittered down my back. A random gateway was not normal; a single wild gateway might open every thousand years, but that was it. Whatever was going on, it must be really bad.
Yeah, I was a true pessimist; it made me feel better when the bottom dropped out.
I held my breath and turned toward the source of the surging power. Sure enough, less than ten feet away from me, a gateway stood open. A mundane human would never see large archway, but to my Sídhí eyes it glowed with a soft yellowish-white hue. I glanced past the edges and into an expensively decorated room, realizing it definitely wasn't a wild gateway. I really wish it had been.
~ ~ ~
“Chi’Kehra!” Duke Kin'Tick called from the end of the long hallway. His short, plump legs pumped as he rushed toward the elvish monarch. His blond hair streaked with darts of contrasting black, flopped around his shoulders. His brown elvish eyes sparked with eagerness; he looked like a squealing pig waiting for dinner.
Chi’Kehra stifled a groan, ignoring the urgency in the man's voice. With a swift move, Chi’Kehra entered his private suite of rooms, letting his guards deal with the pest who had shadowed his every step the entire morning.
He was sick of the constant court intrigue; the never-ending plays for more power. It seemed like everyone wanted something from him; even the royal advisors had one or two or a dozen ulterior motives. The few people he completely trusted rarely visited the capital.
He detested his trips to Elfheim, the capital city, which lay sprawled across the entire width and length of the Valley of Elfheim. The city was filled with spiraling towers, vast gardens, beautiful art, and – constant – political games. If it hadn't been for the nasty games and the political backbiting the elvish nobles played, he might have enjoyed the occasional trip.
Unfortunately, Duke Kin'Tick was only one of many courtiers who fought for more power, loving the intrigue of court life. Every noble, within the elvish royal houses, hoped to gather power by currying favor with the ruling monarch.
The fake flattery was sickening, especially when he was the recipient of so much of it.
He shoved the tedious thoughts away and walked through his sprawling suite of rooms, passing silent guards and a half dozen extravagantly decorated rooms, before sighing in relief.
He closed the door to his receiving room and leaned against it. Only here, did he have true privacy. The entire royal suite had a silencing layer around it, - manipulated synth crystal added into the very walls of the castle by the Court Fairy, - but his
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