Chapter 2
January 30, 2009 at 12:53 PM (Fantasy Stories, Guinivere)
A Swift Exit
You are no match for Dark Elves
Guin spent the next few days in the forest with Wolf learning the things she needed to survive after they left to find her father. Most of the information seemed strange. Like something out of an old book. However, some of it registered in the deep depths of her mind. She found herself wondering where her father lived, and where anyone could live to make this stuff necessary. It wouldn’t be anyplace like where she was now.
Wolf taught her how to use her weapons to defend herself or catch food. He taught her many languages. The language she spoke was called Greenspeech, the language of the elves of Mithrylian Wood. He told her a little about her family, though he was fairly vague about the details. Her father was a hero from the First War and a close companion to the Elvin king. Her brother, Galdin, was a traitorous murderer. Her mother, Karelia, had died shortly after Galdin’s betrayal and her departure for earth. The land she had come from had become a place of turmoil.
Whenever she asked for more detail or about the history of the land the wolf would change the subject. He shrugged it off saying that her people could explain it to her better. He said his opinion would be biased and would hinder her growth as an elf.
All this talk of her people peaked her curiosity and fear; her imagination began to wander. She wondered what her people would be like. She didn’t fully believe that they were elves. Elves weren’t real. They were something out of legends and fairytales. Maybe they were just very earth-wise and solitary people. Maybe they were people of art and music and laughter, the traits she generally associated with elves. But then why do you have elf ears? A small voice nagged at the back of her mind. It’s just a birth defect. She argued with herself.
Wolf told her about the Void and the link it created between the two worlds. She realized she must locate this Void but she was afraid to. Her life was here with her foster-parents and she was finally getting along with the kids at school. She was starting to feel like she belonged here. Here, she was safe. Once she crossed this Void thing she would be plunged head-long into some sort of war… one, it seemed, that she was expected to fight. Why should she leave the safety of her home to fight for a family she could not even remember? She had friends here… and Mike and Kim were starting to feel like a real family to her. :That is precisely why we must leave.: Wolf told her gently. :You must not become too attached.:
Wolf had taught her many new languages including Hyrelan of men, Grungel of dwarves, even wolvish. :No name for our language.: Explained Wolf. :We just speak it.: He even taught her how to slink about virtually invisible in the forest and walk in towns so as to blend in with those around her. He told her how pulling her hair up in just the right way made it appear brown and pulling it up slightly differently made it seem more blonde.
All too soon it was time to go home. Guin carefully packed her cooma and other belongings into her suitcase and changed into some more normal, everyday clothes. Kim and Mike came to the door just as Guin was doing up her suitcase. Creeping out of the room she moved toward the door to the front hall, Wolf close on her heals. “Guin’s been having lots of fun while she was here.” The bold voice of Poppa John reached her ears. “She’s even made a new friend—”
Another voice reached Guin’s ears, blocking what John was saying, but this time the voice came from behind her. “Missy Elf wasn’t going to leave without saying goodbye?”
Guin turned and smiled. “Of course not Jemma!” she hugged the young girl. “Of course not.”
“I guess I won’t see you again will I?” she sniffed.
Guin started in surprise. How did Jemma know about her plans? She had barely decided what she was doing. She couldn’t know… could she? “Why? Are you going somewhere?” Guin said, trying to play it cool.
Jemma smiled, though tears poured steadily down her cheeks. She dug through a little bag that Guin hadn’t noticed before. “I want you to keep this.” She said pulling out a small rough package. “‘T ain’t much but ‘tis all I have.”
Guin carefully unwrapped the package to find a small smooth stone with the names of all her friends and family from earth upon it. It had a comforting feel about it and at times the writing seemed to shift into Greenspeech or even to disappear entirely. “Oh Jemma!” Guin gasped in surprise. “It’s wonderful!”
Jemma smiled sadly and wiped the tears off her face. “I over’eard the Master talkin’ abou’ your past and such and I figured you’da returned soon as ya found out.”
Guin smiled. She didn’t quite believe the girl’s story. She was beginning to wonder just who this girl was that she knew Greenspeech enough to write in it. Her whole world was being turned upside down. She hugged the small girl again. “I’ll come back sometime Jem. I promise.”
“Guin!” Margaret called from the front hall. “Time to go.”
Guin pulled back, pocketed her gift, clasped Jemma firmly on the shoulder and went out to greet her foster-parents. Wolf stayed protectively at her side and Guin wound her fingers gratefully in his long black fur. Kim saw the wolf and gasped. “This is Wolf.” Guin explained, staring deep into Mike’s eyes and smiling innocently. “Can I keep him?”
Mike and Kim stared at each other in surprise. “Um…”
“He doesn’t bark, bite or mess in the house,” Very funny. He grumbled, “And he’s a great friend.” Guin rambled on looking at Wolf who stared back. “Better than many of my other friends.”
Wolf plopped himself down beside Guin and was now leaning against her as she scratched his side. “I guess…” Mike mumbled.
“Yes!” Guin shouted, jumping up and down with Wolf howling in agreement.
Kim and Mike smiled tentatively at her. “Let’s go home,” Kim laughed.
Guin put her bag into the trunk of the car and climbed into the back seat with Wolf. She snuggled against him and fell asleep. She had not slept well that night. Her dreams had been the nightmares that had been coming more and more frequently. When she woke up the car was stopped at an intersection in the middle of the city… they had hit lunch-hour traffic. Mike and Kim were talking in hushed voices in the front. However, Guin’s keen ears heard everything they said. “I’m worried about her.” Said Kim. “Her accent has come back stronger than ever and now she’s hanging around with a wolf!”
“We can’t stop her from going.” Said Mike as the car started to move. “They told us when we got her that she would leave, and warned us not to stop her. All the same… it will be hard to let her go.”
“I know she hasn’t been with us long but she still feels like…”
“Like our daughter.” Finished Mike. “I know.”
Guin stretched and yawned. “Good morning!” she joked. “Although, it’s probably closer to afternoon.”
“Have a good nap?” Mike asked grinning.
:Just like him.: Guin said to Wolf. :Always hiding his feelings.: Out loud she said in a good-natured voice. “Yep! Can’t wait to see the horses. Did you have a nice trip?”
“Just lovely.” Answered Kim with a smile.
“Can’t wait to be home. I like Poppa’s and all but it’ll still feel nice to sleep in my own bed.” She went on.
“Amen to that.” Agreed Mike.
Guin smiled to herself as they pulled up the drive to the farm. Karen was waiting for them when they parked. The scent of a newly cooked roast beef dinner greeted Guin’s nose when she opened the door. Karen started in surprise when Wolf climbed out of the car. “What the hell is that?” she all but shrieked.
“A wolf.” Guin said calmly. “Isn’t he cool? Come on,” she said to Wolf, “I’ll show you around.”
“What happened?” she heard Karen ask as she grabbed her bag and headed for the house. “Where did she find that beast? And since when has she talked to animals like that? It’s like she thinks it can understand her.”
Guin grinned and ducked into the house. She went upstairs, Wolf hard on her heals, and threw her bag on her bed. “Well, this is my room.” She said to Wolf who was sniffing around.
He seemed to like what he saw as he took in the deep, earthy tones of the room and the hand made furniture. He looked at her bookshelf and laughed a wolfish laugh. All the books had one thing in common: they all had something to do with elves. “I see you have an obsession.” He said.
Guin actually blushed. “I like elves.” She said defensively. “They have always appealed to me. When I was younger I used to think I was an elf… it was the ears.”
Wolf laughed some more but didn’t reply. Guin showed him around the house and out into the yard. When she went on to show him the barn he froze. He flattened his ears and hung his head. If he had been human Guin was sure he would have looked a little sheepish. “Horses don’t like me.” He said. “Most prey animals don’t. I don’t want to spook them more.”
Guin nodded. This made sense. “Guin!” Kim called from the house. “Come eat! Then you can finish putting your stuff away.”
“Coming!” Guin replied.
Dinner was a tense affair. The presence of a wolf lingering in the shadows had all three adults on edge. Even Guin felt a little uneasy but she attributed it to the others being so nervous. After dinner Guin was sent to her room to unpack. Wolf padded along behind her as tame as any dog.
While she unpacked Wolf sniffed around the room. She pulled the cooma out of her duffle and set it on the floor beside her bed. Wolf sniffed it and looked out the window. “You might want to think of packing food and water into this.” He said.
“Why?” Guin asked, pausing in the middle of putting her duffle away in the closet.
“We need to be ready for anything.” Wolf told her.
Guin sighed and stretched out on her bed. “I’ll pack it tomorrow.” She said. Her tone clearly said that she was just saying that to placate him.
“We may not be able to wait that long.” Wolf muttered, his nose working intensively.
Guin wanted to ask what he meant but before she could get the words out her eyes sagged closed and she was sound asleep.
~Ψ~ ~Ψ~ ~Ψ~ ~Ψ~
She was woken up several hours later by Wolf yanking the covers off her. Her stone was burning hot and glowing red, reacting to something. “What’s happening?” she asked sleepily.
“They were watching the house.” Wolf told her. He pulled her legs off the side of the bed, trying to get her to get up. “We have to leave now.”
She got up and looked in the mirror. She had fallen asleep in her clothes. Wolf pulled her sword belt over to her. “Put this on and grab your bag. Hurry!”
She threw on the sword belt and as she grabbed the cooma the whinnying of horses caught her ear. She ran to the window and looked out. There was a horse in the driveway. She ran to the door to find Wolf blocking her way. “Not without the bag.” He growled.
She threw the cooma onto her shoulders and ran out the door. Wolf urged her toward the forest to the rear of the property but she froze. There were horses running everywhere. She could see fire coming from inside the barn, licking the painted walls with its flames. She could see dark shapes running from the barn and toward the house.
She drew her sword and turned back toward the house. “No.” Wolf stood in front of her, barring her way. “Don’t go that way.”
“I have to help!” she said, trying to get around him.
“You can’t do anything for them.” Wolf told her, baring his fangs to show her he meant it. “You are no match for Dark Elves.”
Just then a scream came from the small home beside the barn where Karen, the stable-hand, lived. “Karen!” Guin shouted.
She lunged forward but Wolf caught her arm in his mouth. He held her gently enough that he wouldn’t harm her but firm enough that she couldn’t get away. The dark figures all turned toward her voice. Almost as one they switched direction and started toward her. Wolf tugged her arm and she burst into action. “Dark Elves.” She said as she ran as fast as her legs would carry her, towards the woods. “Right.”
They ran for a long time. Wolf howled into the night as they ran through the trees. A strange mist settled on them and Guin noticed the trees changing around her. They were getting bigger and wilder then the woods she was familiar with. After what felt like hours the sound of pursuit died off. It was a while before Guin figured out what had happened. Then it sunk in. She had run off, leaving her family at the mercy of those people. Whoever they were.
She looked around her and somehow she new she had left all she knew and loved behind. Somehow she just knew it. They had entered the Void.
