Emerald of the Elves (16 page)

“So soon?” questioned the elf. “I thought you would have dallied more in our little paradise.”

“That is a tempting thought with the condition of the outside world as it is,” shrugged Alex, “but finding the Book of Things will not be accomplished by idleness.”

“Very well,” nodded Garong, “I will notify Queen Lyander immediately.”

Tanya watched Garong leave. Her eyes played across the glade and rested on the gazebo on the other side of the pond. She saw the figure of the queen addressing some elves. The queen gestured with her hands, and the elves dispersed. She watched as the elves gathered the unicorns and Darok’s horse. She frowned as she watched Garong reach the gazebo and climb the steps. As she watched the queen and Garong talking, the elves arrived with the mounts. Tanya shook her head and turned to load her packs on Frea. By the time the Rangers were ready to go, Garong had returned.

“We will walk out of the glade,” declared Garong. “Please lead your mounts.”

As Garong turned to lead the way, Tanya moved close enough to Arik to whisper. “Sneak Prince Midge out of your pocket,” instructed Tanya. “I want him to discover the entrance to the glade.”

Arik looked strangely at Tanya as she nonchalantly moved away. He shrugged as he gently poked his finger into his pocket. Prince Midge stuck his head out cautiously and saw Arik’s finger to his lips. Prince Midge looked quizzically at the Bringer, and Arik quietly gave him Tanya’s instructions. The fairy prince nodded and winked as a wide grin spread across his tiny green face. Prince Midge looked around cautiously, and then darted up into the trees.

Garong led the Rangers out of the hidden glade. The demarcation line was quite noticeable, but Garong quickly led them through the trees. Tanya turned to look back and could not see the lush grass of the glade. After five minutes of walking, Garong halted.

“That is the shortest path out of Elderal,” pointed the elf. “If you take no detours, you will reach the Kingdom of Klandon in several hours.”

“You are not going to escort us?” questioned Alex. “I am surprised.”

“I would only slow you down without a horse,” grinned Garong. “Be assured that your progress will be observed. Queen Lyander has asked me to send you off with a message. She said that you are not to return to Elderal without the Book of Things. We guard our land zealously.”

“The queen’s warning will be taken seriously,” nodded Alex. “At least the elves of Elderal now know that we are peaceful.”

“Thank you for your hospitality,” Jenneva smiled thinly.

Garong nodded and disappeared among the trees. The Rangers mounted and headed in the direction of Klandon. A few minutes later, Prince Midge soared through the trees and flared his wings as he landed on Arik’s shoulder. Tanya immediately pulled up alongside Arik.

“It is hidden by a magic spell,” reported the fairy prince. “It is not a spell that I know.”

“Will you be able to find the spot where we exited the glade again?” asked Tanya.

“Absolutely,” grinned the tiny green warrior. “Fairies never forget such a thing. I will be able to guide you back.”

“Why all of the secrecy?” asked Arik. “The elves appeared friendly enough. Especially considering why we were there.”

“They were using magic to listen to our conversations the whole time,” frowned Tanya. “I did not realize it until we were leaving, or I would have warned everyone to be careful about what they said. I think they are hoping for your failure. The queen has no intention of yielding the Emerald of the Elves to anyone.”

“But if I return with the Book of Things,” posed Arik, “wouldn’t they have to give up the Emerald of the Elves?”

“Yes,” nodded Tanya. “I do not think they would openly defy their prophecy, but that would not matter if we were unable to find our way back to the hidden glade.”

“I see,” frowned Arik. “I am glad that you are around to notice such things. I guess that I am naïve.”

“I do not think that you are naïve,” smiled Tanya. “You have just learned that you can depend on the rest of us. That may not always be true in the future. You have come a long way from being a fisherboy, but it is fast approaching the time for you to take charge of your inheritance. When you are crowned as king of Alcea, your decisions will be law. Advice is good, but you must be the one to make the decisions.”

“I have been thinking a lot about that lately,” nodded Arik. “I do not know if I am up to the task.”

“You are up to it,” assured Tanya. “I have been watching you closely. The decisions that you do make are wise. The only problem that you have is one of lacking self-confidence. Learn to trust your instincts more. Seek advice and then analyze that advice. I have faith that you will arrive at the correct decision.”

“You show a great deal of faith in me,” sighed Arik. “Why is it that I do not feel the same about myself?”

“You are afraid of making a mistake,” explained Tanya. “Realize now that everyone makes mistakes. You will make some, too. Still, not to make a decision is the worst mistake of all. When you do that, you allow others to chart your course in life. The king of Alcea cannot afford to allow others to determine his path.”

“You sound more suited for the position than I do,” declared Arik. “Do you ever doubt your own abilities?”

“Of course,” nodded Tanya. “That is part of being human. Still, I do not let my doubts paralyze me. Remember your heritage, and realize that you were born to this task. It is a heavy burden to bear, but you are up to the task.”

“The heavy burden is what bothers me the most,” confessed Arik. “There will be thousands of people’s lives at stake. My decisions could bring death to many of them.”

“Without your decisions,” Tanya pointed out, “they will all die. Your birth is their last chance at life. I think you are just afraid to understand who you really are.”

“Who am I really?” posed Arik. “I am a lowly fisherboy that someone else decided is supposed to save the world. There are probably hundreds of people who would love the chance to be in my place. Why can’t one of them do it?”

“Because they do not have what is required,” stated Tanya. “As to who you are really, your are the future king of Alcea. You are Bringer of the fairies, the Deliverer of the unicorns, the Garala of the dwarves, and the Valon of the elves. Can you really believe that all of these prophecies were not meant specifically for you? There is no other person in the world that can walk in your boots. That is why you must trust your own instincts. You are destined for greatness. It will not just fall into your lap, though. To say that you face a tremendous challenge is to make light of your predicament. Defeating the Dark One is not a task to be taken carelessly, but it is something that you can do. And only you can do it.”

“But I am not the one who has to defeat Sarac,” protested Arik. “That task belongs to Sarac’s descendent.”

“Not really,” Tanya shook her head. “Sarac’s descendent will be the one to thrust the Sword of Heavens into the Dark One’s body, but do not think that this challenge is for anyone but you. The individual prophecies of the races prove this. You are the one marked as their redeemer.”

“I never thought about it that way,” admitted Arik. “I understand how you are thinking now. That is why you demanded that I remove my tunic outside the hidden glade. You understand what is going on much better than I do.”

“That is why I am offering my advice,” smiled Tanya. “Now you understand it, too. Do not shirk from who you are. Embrace the reality of the situation, and act accordingly. You are the person needed to end the Dark One’s rule.”

“Tanya is correct,” interjected Prince Midge. “The Bringer is the one to save the fairy people, not anybody else. Everyone here will give you advice, and most of it will be excellent advice, but all of the decisions are yours. The fairy people have faith in you, Bringer. You must have faith in yourself.”

Arik nodded solemnly and fell into silence. Prince Midge climbed into Arik’s pocket and fell asleep. Tanya fell back in line as the Rangers rode toward the Kingdom of Klandon. Several hours later, Arik halted on the trail separating Elderal from Klandon.

“Where do we go now?” asked Arik. “Do we have any ideas of where this Book of Things might be?”

“We could head for Tagaret,” suggested Alex. “I cannot think of any place to find such a book.”

“Perhaps Master Khatama might have a clue,” offered Jenneva. “I sure don’t.”

“I am following you, Arik,” grinned Tanya.

Prince Midge climbed out of Arik’s pocket and looked around excitedly. Without a word of warning, Prince Midge darted into the air and disappeared above the treetops.

“What was that all about?” asked Arik.

Alex waved his hand for quiet as the Rangers sat in the middle of the trail. Prince Darok sniffed the air, and Jenneva tilted her head as if it would improve her hearing. Tanya tapped Arik’s arm, and moved slowly into the forest on the Klandon side of the trail. The rest of the Rangers followed her. After just a few moments, Prince Midge soared out of the treetops and landed on Arik’s shoulder. Seconds later a blue fairy swooped down and landed beside Prince Midge.

Jenneva started laughing, “It would seem that Midge’s nose is better than Darok’s. I do not recall ever seeing Prince Midge move so swiftly.”

“Fairies do not have much of a smell,” Prince Darok shrugged comically.

“This is Bitsy,” Prince Midge blushed as his skin turned a darker green. “She is searching for the Bringer.”

“Why is a fairy searching for Prince Arik?” Alex asked nervously.

“There are hundreds of us searching for the Bringer,” chirped Bitsy. “We carry important news from Tagaret. The Bringer is needed.”

“Why is he needed?” asked Jenneva.

“He must be crowned right away,” Bitsy said sadly. “Tagaret is without a monarch.”

Arik’s head swam with disbelief as the rest of the Rangers lapsed into silence. Arik dismounted and sat on the ground. The two fairies fluttered in the air while Arik got settled, and then landed on a nearby log. Tanya quietly sat next to him. All of the Rangers dismounted, and Prince Darok shrugged and tied his horse to a tree.

“What has happened to my grandmother?” Arik asked haltingly.

“She was assassinated by a revenant,” Bitsy answered softly. “Prince Oscar was nearly killed, too. He is unscathed though.”

Tears welled up in Arik’s eyes, and he lowered his head to hide his face.

“What of the city?” asked Alex. “Have there been any moves by people to seize control?”

“There is fear of that,” nodded Bitsy, “but so far it has not happened. The city is in mourning. Queen Marta was loved by the people. They are very sad.”

“That answers the question of where we are going,” decided Alex. “Is there more that you can tell us, Bitsy?”

“There is more,” she nodded. “The Council has met with Prince Oscar and General Gregor. They think it is best to sneak the Bringer in at night. We expected you to be far south of here. The plan was for you to arrive by ship. They said to stress a sense of urgency. There is a fear of Sarac’s people within the city. It is thought that they may try to take over the government and kill the Bringer. I am to return with the decision of how the Bringer wishes to proceed.”

“Miram or Danver Shores are the closest ports,” declared Alex. “Both are as far away as Tagaret itself. Still, the idea of slipping Prince Arik in by boat at night is appealing. I would suggest Miram.”

“Why haven’t all of Sarac’s people been found in Tagaret yet?” Tanya pondered aloud.

“Many of them have been there for years,” answered Jenneva. “They appear just like normal citizens. You cannot discover their true nature until they strike. They are basically invisible. Tagaret will never be entirely free of them.”

“What of the preparation of the city for defenses?” questioned Alex. “Is that proceeding according to plan?”

“It was,” answered Bitsy, “but work has virtually stopped now. The people are depressed and scared. Queen Marta invigorated the people. They wanted her to succeed. Now it is as if all of their hopes have been dashed upon the rocks.”

“Then the city is on the brink of chaos,” frowned Jenneva. “No wonder the fairies were sent out to find Prince Arik. Alcea is as important to the prophecy as the Sword of Heavens. We have no choice in the matter.”

“I agree,” Alex nodded solemnly. “Tell Prince Oscar that we shall head for Miram. He should have a ship waiting for us there.”

Tanya frowned and bit her lip nervously as she gazed expectantly at Arik. Finally, Arik’s head rose. Tears were streaming down his face as he stood up.

“No,” Arik shook his head. “I will not enter Tagaret as a thief.”

“It is for your own protection,” offered Jenneva.

“I am not in this battle to protect myself,” declared Arik. “I am here to fulfill a prophecy. We will enter Tagaret through the main gate, and we will do it during the daytime.”

“That is suicide,” warned Alex. “Black Devils will be lined up to kill you. You will never make it to the Royal Palace.”

“I want the Black Devils lined up to kill me,” retorted Arik. “I want an honor guard of ten Red Swords to meet me a day’s ride from Tagaret.”

“Twenty?” coached Tanya as she beamed at Arik.

“Twenty then,” agreed Arik.

“Fifty?” pushed Tanya.

“No,” Arik shook his head. “Twenty is sufficient. I want the whole city to know that I am coming. I want them to know in advance.”

“Why?” asked Prince Darok.

“Because the people must rally around me as they did for my grandmother,” declared Arik. “They must be filled with the spirit of Alcea, not a feeling of despair. I want the citizens lining the streets to welcome their new king. Has my grandmother been buried yet?”

“Not as of this morning,” reported Bitsy. “I think they were hoping that you would arrive for the burial.”

“Then she is not to be buried yet,” decided Arik. “I will attend the burial.”

“How are twenty Red Swords going to protect you?” asked Alex. “Have you thought about that?”

“Not entirely,” admitted Arik. “I can use your input in that area. I do know how I want the people of Tagaret to react. We cannot succeed in this quest to destroy Sarac without the citizens of Tagaret behind me. I will leave my protection in your hands, and the hands of the Red Swords.”