Koda stepped forward into the once vibrant forest of Nashoon. An icy gloss blanketed the trees, turning them crystal white. Koda waded through the deep, crunchy snow. He rubbed his arms for warmth, for his verdant school robes provided little protection from the onslaught of Winter. Winds picked up and howled through the woods, pushing Koda back. Back from his grandfather. Back from his once destined past. Back from what was once his world to be.

“Why do you turn me away, Grandfather!?” shouted Koda. He grit his teeth and fought the wind with every ounce of his strength until he collapsed to his knees. His hands stung from the frosty touch of the cool snow. “Please, let me help!”

I want… I want to…

Koda arched his back and let out a blood curdling roar. “Help!!!”

Koda snapped his eyes open, sweat soaked through the bed linen, but he was awake. It was a dream—no, a nightmare, like the night before and the night before that. In fact it had been the same dream for the last month.

Koda propped himself against the headboard. Despite the comfort of a guest quarters that his captor provided, he was still a prisoner. Another day passed without word from his beloved Long Whisper. Had they abandoned him? Was his folly worth a rescue attempt? Was he to be a hostage until the Div’Rah grew bored of him?

The elven king touched his neck, feeling the strange collar still latched to it. He rubbed the grooves of the runes etched into the dampener.

Are we still cut off from each other, girl? Wildeye? Koda tried to reach out to his familiar. Each morning that Koda woke from his mysterious dreams, he attempted to call out to Wildeye, to test for any weakness of the dampener. To no avail.

“K-da.”

Wildeye!? Koda clasped the collar, although not to pull it off. He concentrated, focusing his Magi into a central point. He had endured a month of the pressure from the dampening collar, he had nearly forgotten the warm, liquid-like feeling of the Magi flowing through his body. It did not flush though, more like a trickle. He snarled, concentrating harder, attempting to align the magic to his palm.

The Magi was a more potent and wild form of magic. Both were suppressed by the collar, but Koda had a theory that the Magi could break the collar with enough force. He just needed to pull enough magic from his being. From the world around him. He would break from this collar and escape and no prison would ever dare to hold him again!

Wildeye, assist me, tell me that you still hear me! Koda grunted, sweat slid down his temples. His hand shook under the strain.

“K-od…”

Please, please Ruens, grant me your Magi, break me free from this PRISON!!!

Veins bulged from Koda’s neck. He pushed himself harder. Harder. Harder!

Koda’s eyes rolled back into his skull as he passed out. His hand dropped to his side, red and singed.

Wildeye’s ears twitched from a new, but faint sound. Like the crinkling of dead leaves in autumn.

“Koda.”

***

“Ah, so good of you to join me for breakfast, my friend.”

Koda’s heavily armed escort bowed and took their place at either side of the balcony. Tashna, draped in her crimson finery, motioned for Koda to

take a seat at the table across from her. Crows cawed and pecked at the spicy sausage and freshly baked pastries sitting on the table.

Koda bowed to the queen and took his seat. Tashna almost never allowed him to attend a meal with her. Only when the queen wished to gloat in his face about the lack of news from Cypress. Another occasion would be for a new dress, while Koda still wore the same threads that he entered the prison in. He was allowed to bathe, but never has he been provided fresh clothes. Sometimes, she grew bored and just wanted to chat. Koda never indulged her with a conversation, but today he was famished from his eventful morning. His hand still ached from the burn he gave himself during his attempt to free himself from the dampening collar. He made sure not to use that hand to eat with, opting for his left hand instead.

“What do I owe the pleasure, Tashna?” Koda fiddled with his silverware. Gripping his fork with his less dominant hand proved difficult.

“I bear news from Cypress. I thought you might vish to hear it.”

Koda raised an eyebrow. Perhaps a lie? Did Wiccer really make it back to his elven shores? “Indeed, please tell me,” he responded. He would take any news from her with a grain of salt.

Tashna gave him a coy smile. “My father tells me that the Cypress Alliance has declared var in hopes to rescue you.” She took a long sip from her wine glass, letting her words stew within Koda’s mind. “Vonderful news, yes?”

Koda’s eyes wavered back and forth, his breath became shortened. A rescue attempt? The full Cypress alliance has declared war to rescue him!

He drew back his composure. “Why are you telling me this? Why not just keep me in the dark?”

Tashna grew a cruel smirk. She had been waiting for this very answer since receiving the word from the motherland. “To crush your hope.”

Koda lowered his head. “My people will do whatever it takes to free-”

“Come now Koda. Ve all know vhat your people are villing to do to free themselves from your rule.”

“What?”

Tashna rose from her chair and waltzed to the other side of the table. Koda watched her closely.

“Your lords betrayed you during my father’s var. Aftervards your own subjects razed your capital city,” she laughed. “My friend, you have had no control of your people since day one of your coronation.”

“I have been taught politics, languages, magic, and economics. Never once have I learned to rule a nation,” said Koda. Her words conjured memories of doubt, failures, and insecurities.

Tashna rubbed Koda’s shoulders. “Yes, ruling others is not for the faint of heart. It takes a strong vill to do vhat is best for those that know nothing of the veight of a crown.”

Koda shot her a stern glance. “And you? An Estinian knows how to lead their people?”

“Of course I do. As you say, I am an Estinian, ve Estinians are natural born leaders.”

Koda scoffed.

“You laugh, Koda, but never have my people risen against me. Not in var nor in peace time.”

Koda turned back to his food. “I thought a kind heart would be best for my people. Time and time again, I have been wrong. Kindness and mercy do nothing for my enemies…”

“And kindness does nothing for your people,” finished Tashna. “You vill learn, Koda. You vill learn.”

Koda pushed his plate forward. His stomach churned with a familiar feeling. Hopelessness.