A loud knock at the door awakens me from a deep slumber. “Yes?” I ask loudly. “Heroes Tom and Tal. We need to settle matters quickly.” came a higher pitched male voice. Tal is already at the door opening it. “Oh you must be Tal a pleasure.” Tal just stepped aside and let him in the room. He was a short man with long brown hair and clean shaven. His suit-like clothes were covered with jewels and were made from brighter colored fabric, mostly red.
The dainty human spoke again. “Ah Tom I presume? I’m Albert Sandro Murray Lassite Dable and I’m the director of Port Glimo’s Trade Union branch.” Pem walked in still tightening her armor which reminded me to start putting mine on. “Oh Princess Pemilandituril, I'm glad you are here. I’m Al….” “I heard.” “Very well, down to business then. One hundred and sixty wyverns were said to have been killed. One hundred and thirty two are confirmed. We decided to pay the full one hundred and sixty. Thirty goes to the elven army. Thirty goes to Girroc and one hundred goes to the forces in the western pass.” He held out a large sack of coins. “Your cut of the wyverns is here.” Pem took it. “As for the dragon you each will get three percent of its worth. Girroc and the rest will get sixteen percent and the elven army will get seventy five percent. You three are going to Frint?” We all nodded. “Very well. When we know the worth of the dragon we will send you and the elven armies cut to you there. It should only take a few days. That will be all. Good day.” “He did not lie.” Pem said as she was going through the pouch. “It seems we got the deserters cut as well and uncles...”
A few minutes later the three of us were downstairs eating eggs, bread, and a meat stew that tastes like beef. “Very good. You are already awake.” An older elf in fine clothing addresses us. “The Empress wishes to see you three at your earliest convenience. Shall I get the carriage ready?” He said looking at Pem who looked at me for some reason. I nodded to her. “Yes, that will work for us. What of my uncle?” “Prince Laxilandituril is already on his way home.” “Thank you. Shall we go Tom?” I nodded since I was still eating and grabbed some bread and headed out the door. I noticed everything felt a little smaller to me.
The carriage was right outside waiting for us and it was clearly elven, and its curved beauty and elegance contrasted the simple efficient square dwarven structures around us. It was a red wood color trimmed with a white wood and had one door and four small windows with slats. Two large actual horses, black with brown and white dots. It had a railed top for storage and a large trunk on the back. A comfy looking seat up front with the reins.
Tal went in first and took one side and he didn't have much head room. Pem and I took the other side and were a bit snug but not too bad.
A short elven woman peeked her head inside the carriage. She looked over to Tal and smiled “Glad you fit” She then looked to Pem. “Princess, I will be your coachman for the next three days. My husband is the footman and guard but it is a very safe journey.”
The first day in the carriage was uneventful. The cobblestone road eastward followed closely to the ocean which had a nice view. Pem talked a lot about Lax and his many stories. He married a human woman when he was young and that was a very quiet peaceful time of his life. They stayed together in what was at that time a small town named Landyr. When she died of old age Lax started his adventuring. One story was about a grand tournament that he won and another was about exploring some islands west of Magarnia. Others included defending caravans from bandits or helping dwarves with a goblin problem. Pem’s favorite story was about Lax uncovering an ancient city in the desert between Barhurim and Nardurothil.
Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.
The road was fairly busy with many carriages, horse riders, and a few on foot. It was just before dark when we arrived at an Inn and slept. Pem in one room and Tal and I in another. The inn was wooden and there were a few shops and homes around. In the morning Pem went out while we were eating and bought some arrows and things she needed, then we started day two of the carriage ride.
I asked Pem hundreds of questions about elves. Most elves were typically a bit taller and leaner than humans and kept to themselves. The elves who stayed at home were almost all straight and monogamous because sex and attraction paled when considering kids and their future to them. Elves aren't considered adults until age eighty five even though they reach maturity around fifty. Pem is one hundred and four.
Pem and Leah were a couple for eight years and in all that time they touched each other four times but cuddled and showed affection often. She said it with a straight face like it wasn't a big deal to talk about. She asked me how often I touched Maria. “More than four times a week.” Which wasn’t a lie seeing as weeks here were nine days and we had no kids yet. She had more questions on the matter but I honestly was too embarrassed to answer them. Talking about your sex life with a pretty young lady just felt wrong.
Lastly about elves is that while not often they can reach one thousand years old. A beings magical tier affects their health and aging. The oldest living elf is the wanderer but they aren't even sure he is an elf and guess his age at around twelve hundred.
Around noon we turned south and by the early afternoon I could see the Great Forest trees. In the late afternoon we stopped at another inn right before we entered the great forest and slept peacefully. The only other building here was a stone fort full of elven guards in green armor. Pem explained that this was where the elvish kingdom started.
The cobblestone road ended as we entered the great forest. It was almost eerie coming back to where it all began. The darkness from the canopy and the quiet and lack of any views. Just barren dirt and giant trees.
Pem was rather cheerful today compared to the last few days. She talked about her family. Lax’s mother was the Empress. She was forced to marry young and have a child who was Lax. She loved Lax but hated her husband. When Lax was around two hundred his father died under mysterious circumstances and soon after the Empress married the love of her life. Fifty years later the current Empress was born then forty six years later Pem’s grandpa was born. Almost three hundred years later the Empress died and left the throne to Lax who abdicated the throne saying his sister would be the perfect ruler. She has been the Empress for fifty four years and has two daughters. The older is said to be a tier six mage. Lastly, the royal bloodline is very magical. Half of the royalty has an ability like Pem’s the other half are mages. Ilandituril means of royal blood and Frint means home.