-The Week Before-

“Do I look okay?”

Alouella asked.

A couple of days had passed since Alouella had sent Gwen off and the Queen had returned to a mostly empty castle and begun setting things in better order almost immediately. With a rightful ruler back in power Alouella had gone back to her childhood home to an unnerving quiet and too much energy, suddenly able to worry about her own life and the ragged, gaping holes in it.

Until a knock on the door had summoned her back to the castle.

“You look fine.”

“No, Wade, really this time. I know you think I'm very pretty but really. If you were a stranger, do I look fine?”

He looked her over. She still had the deep circles under her eyes, a sunken look to her shoulders as though holding them up was too much effort. He sighed.

“You look exhausted and stand up straight.”

She put her chin higher in the air, hoping it took her shoulders with it. Wade reached over and smoothed her hair down, the nerves and tension letting her static electricity loose on herself and those around her.

They were among a number of people who had been summoned and they stood in the thick of a long line before the throne room doors, whispered murmurs and suspicious glances flicking their way.

Wade met the eyes of some of those looking at them and they'd suddenly find something else very interesting about a wall sconce.

The doors began to open slowly upon a throne room filled with the light of day, a thick canopy protecting them from direct rays of light. Dozens of guards surrounded the room in ceremonial garb of umber armor decorated with fabric leaves. The rest of the room was empty, devoid of any decoration except for the tapestries all around the room.

The others took places like they'd done hundreds of times before, Wade and Alouella clumsily being left at the back. Everyone else seemed in their finest clothes and Wade felt out of place in just his washed every day things. Alouella had offered him something of her fathers but given his near giant status none of it had fit.

“Do we have to bow or anything?”

He whispered to Alouella and she looked fear stricken, her hair rising once more.

“I-I don't know.”

The floor began to ripple, the wood rising up in steps far above the crowd, a throne at the top and on it sat the Elf Queen, Wulya. Wade's breath caught in his throat.

A thick scar ran from her left eye up across the side of her head, a milky eye peeking out of where the scarred flesh had grown back a little too tight in a perpetual squint. A second scar slid down the side of her neck and into the long robe she wore, a cut that likely should have killed her.

Her thick green and white robes likely would have immobilized her if they had not been enchanted to move on their own, flowing around her even as she sat back and watched all of them.

“Wade, close your mouth, you don't need to be that shocked.”

Alouella whispered.

“Sorry, it's just unexpected. I always thought Queens were...y'know, untouchable. Those are fightin' scars.”

“Back when she was fifth in line for the throne there was a lot of...family fighting to put it nicely. She was an officer-in-training in the military back then. Killed three very skilled assassins before she'd completed her sword training in her teens.”

Wade's heart skipped a beat.

A dryad rose from the floor beside the throne, charred along her side but seeming in good health as she sprouted new greenery. Beside her stood a smaller dryad, this one rocking on her feet and humming in the quiet until the taller one flicked her on her head.

“Is that-?”

“Yeah.”

Alouella smiled.

“The last thing the holy tree did was save its two daughters as it was dying. I can't imagine how it could resist a death spell like that. Oh, now shush.”

The Queen looked out on them and smiled.

“I can imagine you know why you're all here as we've had some dreadful vacancies open up. The system of governance has no feelings and must have bodies to fill it to keep our country running. But we do, and it is a truly sorry thing to have to fill these offices because of a tragedy. Let us have a moment of silence to remember those we lost but also that we may also lose our lives in serving the people.”

A few members of those gathered looked uneasy at this idea and most nervously waited out the minute and a half.

“Now.”

The Queen spoke.

“I would also like to thank those who did so much for us in this crisis, many of whom are still out there, the guards, the priests of Wubwa, anyone who lent a hand to a neighbor. But I have called two here to represent them, who took immediate charge when they saw it was needed. Please, Alouella Lawfer and Wade Bruin. Step forward.”

All eyes turned to them and they both stiffened like mannequins and walked awkwardly in the silence as the crowd opened around them, gradually rising to murmurs. Further shock awaited them as they left the crowd and the Queen stood before them, a few steps up on those leading to her throne so she was above them, her robes floating around her.

“Alouella, I'm sorry to hear about what happened to your father. He was one of my finest gardeners.”

The emphasis she placed on 'gardeners' implied something else and Alouella knew it was being kept as secret as possible. The Queen reached out and Alouella shook when their hands met.

“Th-thank you, my Queen. He was always very proud of the work he did, though he never told us much about it. He was a very private man.”

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

The Queen nodded in understanding and then turned to Wade who still looked down on her. He awkwardly tried to lower his knees and head and the Queen had the ghost of a smile as he leaned to the side to be under her height.

“And Wade Bruin, you're not an elf or even a citizen of our Queendom but you still jumped in with both feet to help us. I thank you as well.”

“Th-”

His voice came out a whisper and he had to clear his throat.

“Thank you. I'm trying to be better.”

He didn't know why he'd said that and groaned inwardly.

“You will both be rewarded properly once the country is in working order again but for now I have one job for you.”

The dryad began to hand her a white envelope when a voice from the crowd spoke up. A tall, muscular elf stepped forward and those around him immediately made room.

“Pardon me, My Queen, but there has been talk that these two were not just involved in the 'saving' of the city but also may have been a part of the cause. We've had reports from some of the guards she took command about-”

He quieted as the Queen had not been directly in front of him a moment ago and now filled his full vision, whispering quietly to him. Every word she spoke, so quietly that no one else could hear especially as they backed away, sent the elf further and further into the ground until his knees touched the ground and he visibly trembled. She straightened herself and plucked the letter from the dryad's hands to give to Alouella.

“I apologize. Please, deliver this letter to this address.”

She indicated to the writing on the front.

“It will clear up the trouble we've had with our merchants being stopped in Deraforda for fears of possible plague we may have had.”

Alouella bit her lip, wondering if she would end up like the elf behind her but knew she had to say something.

“My Queen, I will but...I wanted to-”

The Queen waved her hand and, through no magic except her intimidating presence, silenced the girl.

“I understand. Revenge. I know you want to feel like you're doing something instead of waiting for an end. But the people we're after already know your face. They can simply avoid you if they like but don't worry. You've told us about your friend Gwen that went ahead and we can encounter her. We have very skilled people on this.”

She placed the letter in her hands.

“Take the letter, it will be of great help to those I do send.”

She waited until Alouella nodded and she nodded as well.

“Good girl. Now the both of you go. Waste no time and then get some rest. You've earned it.”

The two bowed to her and business continued as they were led from the throne room to a wagon and some horses.

-----------------------

-The Present, Deraforda-

“My boots are still wet. Why do I have such trouble with wet feet?”

Wade complained. His boots were soaked through.

They'd been let through at the gate due to special consideration for who had sent them and the emblem the letter had magicked into the back but after being told that some things needed to be checked they were left waiting.

In that time a letter had been handed to her that completely lifted all stress from Alouella.

Dear A.,

Found writing lady and she is safe. No world being destroyed or anything. Will contact soon when you arrive. Mister Whiskers always knows.

-G.

She showed it to Wade who laughed out loud.

“Is she trying to be a rogue or a spy or something? Ha ha ha! Mister Whiskers!”

He kept laughing right up until the gate guards came back with special conditions.

First a very lengthy dunk in some warm water graced with soap and then a spell to ward off sickness was cast after. Out of consideration they were blasted with wind spells until mostly dry but Wade's boots still soaked through and every step left a squelch and a watery footprint.

“Maybe you did something terrible to a water elemental in a past life?”

The trip to Deraforda had been pleasant enough. Alouella had grumbled for a few days about being excluded from the final step and Wade had taken care of her and her mood the best he could by doing his best cooking and telling any jokes he could think of. Making people feel better without the aid of alcohol, carousing or women was not his strong point but a few days on the road seemed to be doing her some good. She still slept fitfully and her gaze was constantly skyward, tracing a finger along clouds and lost in deep thought about...something, but she seemed a bit happier.

They arrived at the address, an inconsequential townhouse smooshed between two others as though there were trying to force it out. Alouella looked at the address on the paper and then on the metal address plate beside the door. Wade shrugged when she looked at him.

She knocked three times and the door opened slowly on an old elf man, his ears drooping back a bit over his shoulders. He wore a deep black robe and barely opened his eyes to see them, or couldn't due to the weight of his eyelids.

“A message?”

He asked and Alouella presented him the envelope. He slowly took it, turned it over to see the seal, back to the front and opened one eye a little wider to look at something.

“Thank you. Would either of you care for a drink while you wait on the stoop?”

They shared a look and nodded.

“Beer if you've got it.”

“An apple juice if it's not too much trouble.”

He nodded and turned away, the door closing behind. The drinks arrived in a few minutes carried on a tray by a small ratling boy. He waited beside them, eyes forward until they were done and disappeared inside with the glasses.

It was twenty minutes before the old man came back and said quietly with a shake of his head.

“Thank you, it shall be cleared up quickly. No response to sender.”

The door slowly closed and they stared back at the door.

“Is that it?”

Wade asked.

“I guess so.”

Alouella was quiet as they walked, tousling her hair around a finger.

“We could go see your mother now. Bad news is always better from a loved one if she hasn't heard.”

Wade offered but she sighed.

“Of course I need to but...”

“You're not sure what's going to happen? What might happen to Gwen or Clarke?”

“We have NO idea! The not knowing is just...just...”

She stopped mid sentence, turning to look around in a small circle. Her head bobbed as though she were smelling the the air and she began to walk, a hand out in front of her as though feeling something.

“What is it?”

Wade asked but she kept turning around, following something as though she might lose it any second. Several minutes later they stopped in front of a little adventurer bar, this one nicer than most as the sign was well kept and none of the windows were broken.

Alouella threw the door open, eyes turning until they locked onto what had led her.

Gwen singing up a storm with the other patrons while Clarke looked on, Gwen kicking his leg and waving him to join. When Gwen saw her she unlocked arms with the rest and rushed forward, swinging Gwen around several times in the cramped room.

“Alouella!”

She laughed and the elf couldn't help a big smile even as panic gnawed at her.

“Clarke. Good job.”

Wade whispered. He nodded and ordered a drink, pointing Wade.

“No problem. You were a big help. I...don't think I could have done it without you.”

Alouella soon descended into begging to be put down, out of breath from the struggle of trying to escape an overexcited dwarf.

“You two! Where have you been!?”

She yelled.

Gwen hugged her side.

“We went by your camp but you weren't there. I said we'd come find you as soon as you got into town, didn't I? You did get the note, right?”

“No, no, not that!”

She waved a hand over the two of them just to be sure and gathered a small “whiff” to herself.

“You've both got traces of that weird mana. Where have you been?”

They looked at one another wondering just what to say. Clarke decided on the truth.

“Nowhere.”

“Clarke!”

Alouella yelled and slammed her fist on the table.

“You already know just how dangerous that stuff is. Why is it here!?”

“We really haven't been anywhere. We've been waiting here, in Deraforda.”

“For you.”

Gwen added.

“Not for you.”

Clarke made clear. They stared one another down, tension mounting between them until Wade interrupted.

“How much of that stuff did you feel?”

Alouella rolled her hands over the two again to get a real sense.

“It's not like they just stepped in it somewhere. It's all over there bodies but not a huge amount. Like walking through a mist.”

Gwen swallowed.

“Clarke, we know that stuff isn't good. Maybe we should-”

“Should what? Take them to my mother? We don't even know if she's telling the truth!”

“Clarke. Come on.”

Gwen raised an eyebrow.

“She lies about as well as I do.”

Wade backed her up.

“And we don't know just how much is needed to make those crystal monster things. If it goes on long enough.”

The only good elf is a dead elf.

The thought shook him and he wondered if his mother-

“...fine. We have been someplace odd lately. I guess you're going to say you have to go because you're the only one with experience in manipulating this stuff?”

She nodded. He picked up his book and threw a few coins on the table.

“Let's go.”