The world was quiet. The only sound was the galloping of the hundred horses behind them. A single blackbird fluttered its delicate wings as it hovered overhead, waiting for an invitation to descend.

They continued onwards, admiring the landscape. This kingdom of man was a beautiful one. Maybe not quite as beautiful as the elven lands they were used to, but stunning nonetheless. The vast landscape was much rougher and less green than their home. Still, it held a depthless beauty to it. The crow cawed high above, swooping down then flying back up.

They ignored it and continued onwards. They had paused at a small stream to allow the horses to drink and rest for a while. It was a hot morning with not a cloud present in the sky. The sun was still low on the horizon. It would only get worse. Terandriell had dismounted further up the stream than the others, looking for a moment’s quiet. He wasn't used to spending so much time with people; he had always preferred his own company or that of animals.

The others were all sitting down at the stream, refilling their water skins, or chatting with each other. Terandriell lay down, thinking about everything that had led up to this moment. He closed his eyes, thankful that everyone was still okay but unsure how long that would last. He delved deeper into his thoughts as he listened to the sounds of the world as they passed by, the running river, the sound of the wind, the nicker of the horses. A small weight pressed on his chest; he opened his eyes to see the crow perched on his torso staring directly into his eyes. “What's wrong little one?”

The crow tilted his head and cawed again, flapping its small wings, and flying off to land a few feet behind him. It turned to look at him again and let out a tiny squawk, this time beckoning to be followed. Terandriell quickly rose to his feet and mounted up. “Keep heading back to camp, I will join you all again shortly.”

“Where on earth are you off to now?” Arianna sighed. “I am not letting you leave alone.”

“I don't know yet,” he replied, half excitedly. Part of him wanted Arianna to come with him, just the two of them, but another part of him wished to travel alone, enjoying the tranquillity that would accompany it.

“Guards, we aren't far from the camp, carry on without us and take the horses back. Make sure you report to Feineer when you return,” Arianna ordered. I guess it’s decided, he thought to himself.

“We are coming too,” said some of the others. By the time they departed, everyone was leaving with Terandriell except for Arianna’s guards. They headed off, following the tiny flutter of the crow’s wings.

“And they will call this the great adventure of the crow,” Felgourn laughed.

Azura added to his jest. “Apparently minotaurs are real, perhaps the bird is secretly a dragon. Be very afraid.” The others laughed as Arianna and Terandriell exchanged glances with each other.

“What makes you think this will lead anywhere?” Jared asked as he pulled up to the front of the column, not entirely impressed by the others either.

“I have a way with animals,” Terandriell snapped, a hint of sadness in his voice. He was frustrated at the previous comments. “They understand me, and I them.”

The others stopped laughing and joking at his expense, feeling they had crossed a line. They knew he was a bit eccentric and preferred the company of animals to most elves ever since his parents’ deaths. Terandriell used to be just like every other elf, joined in on the feasts and took part in all the competitions and games, but something about that changed him that day.

A day and night past as they followed the bird, the rain beating down constantly on top of them, the attitude of the crew dampening just as much as their clothes. There was a small forest that came into view on the horizon. The purple sky above it stretched for miles in either direction, covering the landscape with a dark and gloomy haze. There was no wind, not even the trees or blades of grass fluttered. There was a chill to the air which filled them with a longing dread.

The bird swooped down towards Terandriell, hovering in front of him before landing on Urialle’s head. He took this as a sign and dismounted. The others followed suit. They stumbled through the dense forest, being extremely careful as to where they stood.

Branches on the trees were incredibly low, almost interlocking with each other. The roots in the ground protruded upwards, almost like a maze trying to restrict access. It didn't take long for them to push through the last of the trees, expecting to see a scene like before. A massacre.

They were standing at the edge of a cliff and what lay before them was not what they had expected. A gigantic portal. They could clearly see a city inside it and what seemed like legions of men walking out of it. They were constructing a fortress with stone as dark as the night sky. There were thousands of them, tens of thousands, pouring in and around the glowing orb like a disturbed anthill. This was the foe they came to face? Doubt crept into their minds. No one said a word.

Arianna was the first to make a sound as she spoke, breaking the silence that had formed. “We need them.”

“We need who?” Kara asked.

“The humans,” came her reply.

Felgourn laughed, “Arianna, you weren’t there when they betrayed us last time, you don’t know what they are capable of. They will slaughter us all the first chance they get.”

“Neither were you,” Kara interjected, “and you just expect us to be able to kill ten thousand people with what?” Her voice was strong, but her face showed a deep unsettling fear.

Kira quickly jumped to her sister’s defence, “We have no choice.”

“What is that!?” Jared shouted as he pointed towards the portal.

“Do you believe us now?” Terandriell stated abruptly. A figure twice the size of the others exited the portal, carrying more of that black stone to build their fortress. They could see horns on the sides of its head. Another exited, then ten more, then twenty. All carrying black boulders which almost blended in with their dark skin and armour.

The elves were too far away to be spotted by their enemy, so they stayed to watch for a while. The fortress was being constructed at an alarming pace, what should take them years to build, they estimated would be finished in a matter of months.

Terandriell stood there, thinking over the situation as the rest of them bickered about what to do next. He took the scroll out of his pocket, gripping it firmly in his hands. ‘Queen Elspeth’ was the words at the top of the letter.

“We should go back home and try to appease Urgost to bring our armies,” stated Yuri.

“That won't work, cousin,” Azura said, shaking his head. “You know he won't do it.” The rest of the group mumbled in agreement.

“Humans? Why do we need to ally with them?”

“For the last time, Felgourn, we have no choice” Kara shouted. The voices in the group began to get louder and more agitated. They were scared, and rightly so. Seven elves against an enemy of this magnitude. They desperately needed help.

“Will you all be quiet, please?” Terandriell begged. Nothing happened as the arguments and the fighting continued.

“QUIET!” he bellowed. They all fell silent and turned to look at him. “I know you all feel helpless right now. I don't feel great about this myself. An enemy of this scale, what can we do? These aren't the same humans that killed our kin, they are thirty or forty generations after, people change, they grow and develop. As much as you might hate it, we need them, and they need us. We could flee back to our home but look at them.” Terandriell pointed down towards the portal and fortress that was being built, everyone watching him intently. “If they can open a portal of this size, they will find us. Maybe not today, maybe not in a year but they will find us, and they will only be stronger when they do. We can do this.” The elves began to feel encouraged, and some of them nodded in agreement.

“Kara, Kira and Felgourn you are with me. We are going to find this Queen Elspeth. Arianna, you lead the others back to camp and meet us with our army.”

“Her city is somewhere north of here,” Arianna said, reaching into her pack to take out a map. “This should lead you in her direction.” She also handed over a small black gem. “Remember the relics I mentioned, this has been in my family for generations. You can use it to contact us if you are in need, just hold it in your palm and think of what you want to say.”

They quickly departed, not wanting to waste any time. Every moment spent waiting around was a moment their enemy would gain strength, and so they parted ways. One group headed north-west to the camp, the other north towards the great city of Saskinar and Queen Elspeth.

~

The now much smaller group headed north, trying their best to follow the old worn map given to them. A day had passed as they were still heading in the same direction, passing small towns and villages but mostly keeping out of sight.

“Arianna must have brought this map with her, it's mostly wrong. I just hope we are heading the right way,” Terandriell said.

“The landscape may have changed in the last thousand years, but they can't move an entire city that easily.” Felgourn chuckled at the thought.

They continued along the road, asking the occasional traveller to point them in the correct direction. It was a few hours later, but the pathway in front of them began to widen, and before long opened into a crossroad. The route they had come from, east and west, all had dirt tracks but the road leading north was constructed with stone.

“Looks like we may be going the right way,” Kira said, sounding half excited. “I have always wanted to see a proper human city. Apparently, they have some buildings taller than the trees back home.”

“That is nonsense, sister. Don't always believe what you hear.”

Kira didn't care, she was looking forward to this too much. It wasn't long before they had to slow their gallop to a walking pace. The roads became thick with traffic, merchants leaving and heading to the city, soldiers patrolling the perimeter, farmers moving livestock from the neighbouring farms to the markets or other fields. The hustle of activity was making Terandriell feel uneasy and uncomfortable. He had always hated being around large groups of people, and this was worse than he had experienced before.

“Try and think about something else,” said Kara, noticing his frustration. She smiled at him, trying to ease what he felt but to no avail. He just wanted to get into the city but didn't believe he would feel better once inside.

They could see the capital far in the distance. The large double stone wall stretching as far as the eye could see, the towers dotted all along the walls with a large grey castle looming over the centre of it.

They all stared in disbelief by the sheer magnitude of what lay before them. There was nothing like this written in the fables or legends of the elves. They really had lost touch with the human realm over the last thousand years.

It took another ten minutes before they reached the gates of the city. The steel portcullis was raised halfway. Archers were stationed on the wall ready to drop it in a moment’s notice, crushing anyone in its path. Ten swordsmen stood shoulder to shoulder underneath the gate at either side. They passed through with ease, just like the hundreds of other people before them. Still, they felt the eyes of the guards, and most other people, watching them intently. They didn’t exactly blend in with the farmers or merchants.

Kira gasped once she was inside the city, seeing the splendour of what lay before her. The pathway ahead of them led up to an inner wall where the large castle stood, some of the towers at least ten stories high. A small retinue of guards had broken off from the gate and began to follow them, keeping a safe distance between them as not to arouse suspicion.

If they hadn’t been in uniform, they wouldn’t have been noticed. “We’re being followed,” Felgourn said. His hand naturally falling to his side near the shaft of his staff.

“I know,” Terandriell replied.

They reckoned it was around midday, although the sun was hidden deep in the clouds. The smell of freshly baked bread smothered the air as they trotted forwards through a small marketplace. The entire area was covered in multi-coloured stalls all constructed with wood. The top of the stalls covered in wools and cloth and an overhanging canopy to block whatever sunshine made it through the clouds. It looked like the market could be quickly dissembled and moved somewhere else, given a moment’s notice.

They were selling a variety of items from food and clothes to weapons and toys. Everyone looked so at peace just carrying on with their lives, blissfully unaware of the horrors going on in the world. They could vaguely hear a man shouting up ahead, but it wasn't long until they could hear him clearly as they delved deeper into the city.

“Sinners shall be burnt at the stake. Their soul shall perish in eternal damnation!” A small crowd had gathered around an older man who was garbed in a cream coloured robe. He shouted at them all, pointing, and waving his fists around. His cloak had three intertwined blue circles resting on a golden sun.

“It is not too late to forsake this false god so prevalent in the North.”

One of the bigger men in the group had decided he had enough of this priest and interrupted him. “Aye, and you think your three goddesses are worth worshipping? What good has any woman brought besides a good fuck. Maybe I could fuck one of those gods of yours!”

“Blasphemy!”

Most of the North men had burst into laughter, loud enough to block out the rambling priest. Many of the women looked up at him, chatting away in small circles themselves, thinking of a world ruled by female gods.

“My friends, my friends. I am only here to save your souls from hellfire. Repent and worship the true gods and your sins shall be forgiven.”

The elves had carried on past the man, and he soon became too far away for them to listen to his ramblings. As they travelled towards the centre of the city, they noticed that the droves of peasants had turned into an endless number of guards.

Patrol after patrol were seen leaving the nearby guard houses or had been stationed outside alehouses and brothels, pre-empting any violent outbreak. Terandriell began to feel more uneasy than he had previously. He was hoping everything would go well, but what if it didn't? This Queen could be a tyrant and end up killing them all. Sweat began to form on his brow.

“Is your imagination playing up again?” Kara asked. “You know you always overthink things.”

Felgourn was watching them both intently, worrying about the situation too. Not that he would ever reveal his weakness, his face as stone hard as always.

Kira, on the other hand, was completely oblivious to her surroundings. She was too busy looking down all the streets and at every building she passed, trying to soak up as much information and remember everything she saw.

“The gates are just up ahead,” Terandriell said.

“Yes, but we are still being followed,” Felgourn replied in a lowered voice. “The group behind us has grown to around fifteen soldiers, and there are forty more watching at the gates just ahead.”

They had reached the last crossroads just before the inner wall and continued onwards. There was no retreating now.

“HALT!” came the voice from a soldier ahead. His attire was utterly different from the silver-coloured plate armour the others wore. His armour covered more of his body and had a much more elegant finish than the others. A golden crown resting on a rose was engraved into his chest piece with two swords above the crown. Terandriell took the engraving to mean his rank, whatever that was.

The small group pulled back on the reigns to slow, then completely stop their mounts. The soldiers that were following them had more evenly split up to prevent any retreat. The archers on the wall were all primed to fire at a moment’s notice.

“What is your business in this city?” came the authoritative voice.

Terandriell dismounted and walked towards the guard. He was a short, stout man but looked just as formidable as the elf standing in front of him. “I request a meeting with your queen.”

“Oh aye, and I requested a meeting with the head of the Holy Church, doesn't mean it’s going to happen.” The soldiers behind him laughed in support.

Terandriell stood in front of the man weighing over his words. This is precisely why I prefer being alone, he thought to himself. “It is rather urgent business.”

“Urgent? Urgent, you say? Why didn't you say that earlier? Phil, fetch the queen, tell her the King is here.” The soldiers laughed again. There was a brief pause.

“Should I fetch her, sir?”

“No, you bloody idiot!” The commander shot a disapproving look at the uneasy soldier.

Terandriell could feel his blood start to boil. He no longer felt anxious, just angry. Everything fell silent as he began to reach into his pack and the sound of metal scraping against metal broke the surrounding silence.

“I suggest you take care with your next move,” the captain said, as he held his sword up towards Terandriell. The members of the StormBlades didn't flinch. Knowing full well this would start something ugly, they just stood, watching the situation intently and preparing to pounce if necessary.

Terandriell began to pull a scroll out of his pack. “It is just a letter for your queen. Be careful, it's sharp.”

“You think this is a joke?” came the angry reply.

“Just read it.”

The scroll was quickly snatched from his hand as the captain began reading it, his eyes moving ever so slowly. The man's eyes widened, and Terandriell knew he now understood what was happening.

He flipped it over to check the seal was right before he looked up, the colour quickly draining from his face. “Oh. Uhm. Okay. Dismount and stay here,” he ordered. His entire attitude had changed, he was no longer cocky but scared as he scurried off towards the palace and out of sight. The other guards exchanged glances with each other, unsure of what just happened.

The elves had dismounted and were standing together, their mounts had been taken away.

“Quick tempers, slow minds,” scoffed Felgourn. Some of the guards were now teasing Phil for his stupid comment earlier, calling him names and pushing him around. He didn't seem to understand what was going on.

“This city may be grand,” interjected Kara, the disgust at the situation present on her face, “but at least back home, we help push our people to become better, not belittle them for their shortcomings.”

“This is their way,” came the few words from Felgourn with as much contempt as he could muster.

It wasn't long before they could see the guard running back to the group, his face red and breathing heavy. He paused, bent over, trying to regain his stamina. “You...” he struggled to get the words out. “Are...” he exhaled loudly and sat down. He was beginning to return to his natural colour, and his breathing began to slow.

“How far away is this palace?” whispered Kira. “I know my eyesight is great, but it doesn't look too far.”

Kara burst out laughing and quickly covered her mouth with her hand to try and stop herself. The commander's face instantly turned red again.

“Now look what you've done sister, we are going to be here another five minutes,” Kira mocked in a lowered voice. Her sister still struggled to gain control of her laughter.

“Come with me,” the commander ordered as he stood up. The guards at the gate moved to the side to let them pass.

The path ahead of them was stunning, winding through a garden of flowers and trees, everything was trimmed and tended to daily to keep it in its beautiful state. Small benches littered the area with nobles tending to their business or forming small social groups talking about the weather or courtly issues.

A few small fountains were sparking and spraying water over the nearby plants. The trees were mostly fruit trees with a mixture of apples, oranges and pears all brightening up the garden with the vibrant colours, standing out from the sea of green.

Before they knew it, they had turned a corner and then another and were led down a wide corridor which was littered with candles and lanterns to lead the way. Tapestries of varying colours and patterns, depicting ancient battles and legacies hung from the walls. Large paintings of past kings and queens separated them from each other.

They followed the captain, his footsteps echoing down the halls. Their own footsteps were barely audible, partly because of wearing leather boots instead of plate armour and because they were a light-footed people.

Ahead of them lay a large wooden door at least twenty feet tall and twelve feet wide, it was held together with iron studs and strengthened with iron bands. Guards, like everywhere else, had been positioned at either side of the door.

The captain stopped in front of the door. One of the guards moved closer before knocking three times on the wood, the noise echoing down what sounded like an endless hall.

A great groaning sound then a thud came from the other side of the door as they unbolted it and removed the large wooden beam holding the door closed. The door creaked as it swung inwards, revealing a large throne room.

Enormous stone pillars held the gigantic roof in place, dim candles decorating each of the columns. A golden carpet lay before them leading up to a solitary throne and there she was. The Queen they had been searching for was perched upon her throne with her golden crown atop her head. The guard stopped at the side of the door and beckoned Terandriell to walk forward, and he did. The others following closely.

Terandriell tensed his hands into fists, trying his best to block out the memories that always flooded back whenever he was in a darkened, endless room. Kara noticed him stumble slightly and walked closer to stand by his side, brushing her hand against his fist.

Step after step didn't seem to get them closer to the throne, it was well over two hundred metres in front of them. Behind the throne was a large closed curtain crafted from the finest silk, blocking almost all sunlight out of the room. If it wasn't for their keen gaze, they would have struggled to see much in the dimly lit room. Maybe she has it like this to appear intimidating by being alone, Terandriell thought to himself. But he knew better. He could hear the soft footsteps all around the room moving with them and could make out the figures in the dark. A small army perched in the shadows of the room, watching every move they made. They were around ten meters from her before she spoke.

“That is close enough,” she said. Her voice was soft but at the same time stern. Unlike the soldiers they had met, her voice was much more prominent and portrayed her in a more sophisticated way. It wasn't until she stood up that they noticed the throne was perched on a platform a few steps high which had her towering over them. She could be seen clearly with the light from the candles highlighting her face, sporting dark brown eyes and shimmering blonde hair which caressed her shoulders and back. She stood watching them intently, not saying a word, her gaze burning deeper than the sun itself.

“Do I kneel or something?” Terandriell asked his group in a low voice, barely moving his lips as not to be seen or heard.

“Don't you dare kneel,” retorted Felgourn in the same hushed tone.

“Now is no time to put your pride in the way of this Felgourn,” muttered Kara. “Just be respectful to her, and everything will be fine.”

Queen Elspeth stood like a statue; her entire persona intimidating. After a moment she moved slightly closer to them, bringing herself into complete view. She had a single slender sword attached to a thin belt against her waist and wore her dark leather armour. It looked resilient enough not to be pierced by any blade but also light enough for her to wear with ease. I wonder what that is made of, he thought to himself.

“My Lady,” said Terandriell as he performed a quick bow. “It is a pleasure to meet you.” Her face softened, he noticed that she wasn't used to this level of respect. Perhaps she was new to the throne, or maybe his accent sounded strange to her.

“So, I have read this letter you came by, signed by Barien. He has been missing for two weeks, so this makes a lot of sense as to what has transpired. Barien was the leader of my mages, and few can weave as powerful magic as him in my king...” she paused. “My Queendom. No one outside my high court should have the powers of opening this, so tell me your story.”

Her commanding tone made him want to tell her everything, but although her words sounded nice, there was a harshness behind them.

“I am fairly proficient in the use of magic. I came across the scroll in a clearing in the woods where I opened and read it, and thus set out to find you.”

“Why?”

“Because it is the right thing to do.”

The Queen paused again. She walked down the few steps from her throne and now stood in front of Terandriell. He could see every guard in the darkened room watching intently, standing a mere few steps away from them with swords at the ready.

“That is a good enough reason.” She paused. “Your accent is not from around here, so what country are you from exactly?”

“We don't belong to any country.”

“Mercenaries then?” replied the Queen with distaste, raising her head ever so slightly as she said it.

Terandriell smirked at the thought of how he fled the elven home to get here. “I guess you could say that.”

“Creatures of magic?” the Queen asked, studying the note again. “Care to elaborate?”

“I could, but you wouldn't believe me,” said Terandriell, catching her interest with his comment.

“Try me,” she commanded.

“Minotaurs.” A few gasps escaped the guards in the surrounding room, and a sword clanged to the floor. Terandriell and the elves didn't even flinch.

Her eyes narrowed. “You knew the guards were here all along? And you expect me to believe that minotaurs exist?”

“All thirty-six of them,” he smiled as innocently as possible. “I did warn you. I saw their encampment with my own eyes. They are building an enormous fortress, and there are thousands of men and hundreds of those creatures. Send your own scouts if you must. It's near a ruined old temple, around two days ride south of here.”

She looked shocked, not knowing whether to believe him or have her guards take them away for wasting her time.

“Come with me.” She walked through the middle of the four elves and towards the large door ahead. Terandriell led the elves after her, and the guards followed noisily behind, giving up the stealth they thought they had mastered. The door swung inwards just before she reached them, allowing some light into the darkened throne room. She led them down corridor after corridor, and after some time they began wondering if there was ever an end to this stone prison. Or, perhaps the intention was to confuse them enough so they wouldn’t be able to find their own way out.

Every servant they passed was running to the kitchen with platters of food. The maids were roaming around, cleaning all of the rooms. Even the nobles, whether in mid-conversation or not, all made sure to bow or curtsy before her as she passed them.

Terandriell couldn't imagine anything worse than living here, stuck inside these stone walls with no sunlight, no fresh air. Being surrounded by people day and night. It was his idea of hell. He swore he could feel the walls close in around him as he tried to fight the dark thoughts in his mind. Finally, they reached a double marble staircase, both intertwined with each other up four levels.

She put her foot on the first step and stopped.

“Just you.” as she pointed at Terandriell. “What is your name anyway?”

“Tera…” he interrupted himself with a forced cough, “Terry.” He lied. He could feel Felgourn’s appreciation without even looking towards him.

“Very well, follow me. Terry.” She strained over the last word, being careful, and slowly pronouncing every letter as if she sensed it was all a lie.

He gave the other elves a quick nod before leaving, to let them know it would be okay. Unlike the floors they had walked so far in the castle, the staircase was smooth and not as rough on the soles of his feet. The bannister leading up the stairs was fashioned out of iron, the metal was shaped and forged depicted the lineage of the kings and queens before. About two thirds up the bannister was completely plain, leaving space so that more could be added later. At the top of the staircase, the Queen paused, removing a small key from around her neck she opened the room door.

“Please come in and sit at the table.” An order.

It was a spacious well-lit room, unlike most of the other castle rooms. This was her quarters. It must have been in one of the towers they had seen as they approached earlier. As Terandriell looked around, he could see the feminine touch.

The room had a large window overlooking the entrance to the courtyard below, framed in a sea of purple silk curtains, a golden swirl pattern was etched into the silk with master precision. A simple table and velvet cushioned chairs rested against the window. There was also a large bookcase full of more books than the Queen would ever have time to read. Small ornaments graced either side of each row of books. A desk sat against one side of the room next to the bookshelf, with a fresh vase of flowers resting on top, a mixture of lilies and roses. A large yellow rug encompassed most of the floor space. Terandriell was impressed as he glimpsed numerous weapons covering the far wall, alongside an empty mannequin as she was wearing her armour. There was another door on the right side which he assumed led to her private chambers.

He removed his weapons and left them at the door but kept his cloak on, taking his seat he poured some of the wine into the two silver goblets and offered her one.

“Making yourself at home, I see,” she chuckled. Now that she was alone and in the vibrant light, she didn't appear to be as intimidating as she had earlier. It looked as though all the burdens of the world were removed from her shoulders.

“Well it has been a long day. Besides, your wine must be better than the usual,” he said as he took a gracious sip.

“Terry. Let us be frank. I have not been able to get a single soldier near that temple. The animals cower and flee the area. Even the insects crawl to get away from it. How did you get near it? Do you know what happened? A Portal? Minotaurs?” She paused, almost out of breath. “And remove that hood, we are inside, have you no manners?”

Terandriell ignored the last comment and coughed to clear his throat, taking another sip of the wine before speaking. “As I said earlier, I found the scroll in a clearing in the woods, opened it and then deci...”

“You never did say how you managed to open it?” she interrupted.

“Are you going to let me tell you what happened or add another twenty questions in?”

She paused, her mouth opening ever so slightly in surprise. No one would dare speak to her this way, she had people imprisoned for less, did he realize who he was talking to? “I apologize. Please continue.”

“I decided to find you and travelled here with a few friends. Along the way we came across a field littered with dead animals. They had been slaughtered, stripped of flesh and blood. No animal could have done that, and no humans would have been capable of what we saw either, not to this scale.

We continued on our way to find you, and that is when we saw the fortress.” His gaze drifted out of the window as he was picturing it in his head. Her gaze, on the other hand, was fixed only on him, listening intently.

“No one would believe it without seeing it. They will build a fortress of this size in a matter of months, these beasts carrying boulders the size of a horse. I fought one you know; my blade barely made a dent on their armour, and I have cleaved training dummies in half with less force than what I gave them. We need to stop them.”

He looked at her with such sincerity that she knew this wasn't a joke. But who was this man sitting in front of her? He looked so young, but his piercing blue eyes were old eyes. His slanted eyebrows, his mannerism, that accent. Were the stories she read as a child true? No, they couldn't have been.

Curiosity was building up in her. She looked directly into his eyes long enough to make him feel uncomfortable and look out the window. And her moment to strike was now. She threw herself forward with every fibre of her being, trying to remove his hood, but his hand stopped her with ease.

He hadn’t even been looking at her, how did he have enough time to react? She had been fast but not fast enough. Their eyes interlocked again, was it a flicker of rage she saw? Could he trust her?

Sighing, Terandriell let go of her arm before she summoned her guards. He lifted both hands to his hood and dropped it back, revealing his pointed ears.

She jumped up from her chair, banging the table with her knee and spilling the wine all over the floor, staining the yellow rug in the process. Surprise spread across her face, but she also looked excited, the first person in centuries to set eyes on an elf.

“You are a, an…”

“An elf, yes.” He replied coolly, the stench of the wine hit him stronger than before.

“I thought you were a myth?” she asked, surprised.

“You thought what we wanted you to think.”

“How many of you are there? Where do you live? How come no one has seen you in hundreds of years?” She knew she was getting carried away again and shook her head ever so slightly. “Again, I apologize. Let me get rooms made up for you. You have been travelling for days. We can discuss this later. At dinner, yes?”

She smiled as she stood, exiting the room at a quick pace. She was already waiting outside for Terandriell before he had time to realize what happened.

Adorning his weapons, his hood already raised, he began to follow her. Once they were both out of the room, she locked the door and continued downstairs to the rest of the party.

“Guards, can you take our friends to the guest-wing and organize to get some rooms sorted for them. The best rooms.”

“Yes, Ma'am.” They replied in unison, quickly bowing then rushing off to the other side of the castle. The elves following close behind.

This part of the castle was much more pleasant than the rest. Large windows were running along one wall, allowing plenty of sunlight in. Maids and servants were busy running around with fresh linen and emptying chamber pots, some were taking food from and to the rooms and just general upkeep of the area. There must have been thousands of servants working in the castle, as every face they passed was new. The sheer magnitude of the building was impressive.

They were now standing in a large communal area; marble statues littered the corners of the reception room. Numerous chandeliers hung from the ceiling, every candle on them flickering brightly. In the centre of the room was a seating area, large enough to comfortably fit around twenty people, but only a few nobles were sitting at it, staring at them. Disgust was written across their faces at having to share an area with four ragged looking people. They were whispering in hushed tones but were not quiet enough. The elves heard every word.

“We have been here waiting all day for an audience with the queen, and she chooses these scoundrels to speak to over us.” came one of the posh voices.

“Oh yes, it is most appalling. I can’t believe, we are sharing the same living quarters as those vagabonds.”

“Despicable,” came the third voice.

Kara couldn’t help but roll her eyes with as much contempt as possible, gaining a few shocked expressions from the noble ladies.

“Your rooms are ready. Lords, Ladies, if you will follow me.” The young servant girl curtsied then headed off at a brisk pace towards the rooms. She was no older than sixteen but seemed extremely comfortable in her approach to people and her surroundings. She must have been working here for a few years at least to have gained this level of sophistication.

The rooms were just around the corner of where they had been a moment ago. “Here you are. The three rooms on the left and the one straight ahead.”

Judging by how close the doors were together, they figured the rooms couldn't have been that large but headed in anyway.

“If you need anything, I am just down the hall on the left-hand side. You can't miss it.” She smiled, then skipped away down the corridor before anyone could say thanks.

“What happened up there?” Kara asked.

“Not here,” Terandriell whispered. Opening the door to his room, he beckoned them inside. It was more spacious than the outside had given credit for. The room had a single bed against the wall with a bench and table at the far side of the room. Little light ventured into the room through the small window.

Terandriell waved his hand over the candle, the bright flame flickered into existence. He closed and locked the door behind them so that they couldn't be disturbed.

“So, what did you tell her?” Kara asked as she took her seat on the bench next to Felgourn.

“Honestly. The truth. She wants to meet us for dinner to discuss everything that has happened and more. Don't be deceived by her appearance, she is wise beyond her years, and her wit is sharper than any blade. She knows who we are.”

“You mean?” Kira gasped.

“Yes.”

“How could you be so foolish,” Felgourn said displeased. “Why would you tell her that?”

“I didn't, Felgourn, she worked it out on her own.” Terandriell told them everything that was said in the meeting from the very start to the very end. Not missing out a single detail of what happened. The others sat in silence, digesting the information presented to them.

At least the hard part of this was over, and it had gone well considering what they had faced. They had made it to the castle and completed the first stage of their mission. The Queen was aware of what was going on, and she believed everything. All that was left was her to march her armies to face their common enemy.

“You should probably all get some rest,” stated Terandriell. “She will be summoning us soon.”

With that, the group departed to their respective rooms to get a few hours rest before they had to meet the Queen again.