《The Tale of Fëor and Ërna》


 A Dawn from the West (1)

    A warm wind fell over F?or¡¯s shoulders, caressing him in a way that felt¡­strangely familiar.


    It hadn¡¯t come from the ¨¢ren that was just resting on his shoulder. It was a new presence, unforeseen and yet¡­familiar?


    Why was it so familiar?


    He knew the aura of his friends and kin. This one didn¡¯t quite fit any of them. That should have been cause for concern, and yet¡­he somehow knew it. In fact, deep within his own seed, his soul yearned for it.


    Feeling its warmth again after so long¡ªwait, again?¡ªhis throat constricted¡ªhow long had it been?¡ªand a single tear fell down his cheek.


    Frustrated by his own confusion (and at the fact that his morning meditation had been so rudely disrupted), he snapped back to his senses. Turning to greet whatever had come to his glade, he expected to see another songbird or squirrel, but¡ª


    ¡ªan ethereal face returned his gaze.


    He fell back, nearly crushing an el?amyr that still danced in delight with the new wind that had come.


    F?or, on the other hand, trembled.


    ¡°A-are you a¡­a f?¨¢nor?¡±


    Before him, at least to his eyes, stood a spirit from Ethyr¨ªa, the realm of wind. Strange, silken clothes covered her luminous skin. Her ears resembled the rays of a star, long and flared. But her hair was the color of dawn, with strands of orange and pink that rivaled even the radiance of an el?amyr¡ªand that was unusual for a celestial spirit.


    He was too flustered to give that much thought, though.


    To his question, the spirit pointed at herself in surprise before waving her hand dismissively. Turning her face aside, her eyes wandered down towards the earth.


    ¡°I¡¯m nothing so noble.¡±


    It was only then, when the warm wind she carried began to cool with her pained expression, that F?or noticed more about his unexpected guest.


    Her once-exquisite garments were blemished with stains and nicks. Her hair, though tended to with care, was frizzing free from its trappings. She had been traveling, but the only thing she carried was a small woven basket upon her back.


    F?or, being a naive fellow, took this alone as proof that she was¡­normal¡ªfrom ¨¢nor, the material realm, like anyone else.


    ¡°I-I see. I¡¯m sorry.¡± F?or squeaked, fidgeting awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s just that, well¡­it felt like you were¡­that your presence was just so bright and warm¡­I just assumed you came from Ethyr¨ªa.¡±


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    As his eyes shifted downward and his face turned pink, the ¡®spirit¡¯ before him blushed. F?or was hardly a smooth talker, but his words were nonetheless filled with sincerity; and complimenting another person¡¯s wind¡ªtheir soul and aura¡ªwas the highest praise one could give in ?lthren.


    But for that reason, her gaze grew more wary.


    ¡°Do you really not know what I am?¡±


    Contrary to his clumsy performance, F?or returned her suspicious stare with one of his own. It was surprisingly complex, deep with meaning that would take time to unravel¡ªbut it only lasted for a moment.


    ¡°Well,¡± he dragged, putting a hand to his chin, ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re from G?lenor, at least. I may be a bit recluse, but I still know what lives around here well enough. ?olr¨ª, Lu¨¢lr¨ª¡­you don¡¯t seem to fit either of those groups, and they¡¯re pretty diverse.¡±


    He paused, considering a third option on his fingers.


    ¡°As for the other group,¡± he continued slowly with eyes more keen, ¡°I don¡¯t think any dwell this far east. If so, I¡¯ve never seen them or heard about them; but you''re not really like them, from what I''ve been told. Your wind is too warm and welcoming. It¡¯s not stifling enough to be like them.¡°


    He noticed her shrink from those words, a pained expression returning to her face as she clenched a fist over her chest. She looked away, seeking solace in the roots of the tree she hid behind. She was clearly hurt by his words, and that answered his suspicion. But¡­


    F?or¡¯s tough act crumbled.


    Caving immediately, he tried to rectify the damage his careless response caused. He was simply too soft¡ªor, perhaps, something else outweighed his fear.


    ¡°S-so...if you''re none of those things,¡± he spluttered, deciding to play dumb, ¡°what are you?¡±


    The sorrowful ''spirit'' turned her eyes to F?or, considering her next actions carefully.


    ¡°If you really don''t know, then I''d rather not say.¡±


    Surprised by her stubbornness, F?or''s face froze in a silly expression before finally letting out a sigh.


    ¡°Okay¡­could you at least tell me your name? You''re still labelled as ''strange spirit'' in my head, so...¡±


    She continued to stare.


    ¡°I-I can start, if that helps. My name is F?or. And yours?¡±


    He was (awkwardly) trying to break the tension and start this conversation over, but that ¡®strange spirit¡¯ continued to eye him with suspicion, nearly glaring at him as she tried to discern his motives.


    ¡°I understand your hesitation¡­but you¡¯re the one that came to me, wandering around my home, while I was sitting here alone, bothering no one, enjoying the grove¡¯s morning air.¡±


    He glared back at her.


    She defiantly puffed her checks at him before finally sighing in defeat.


    ¡°?rna.¡±


    ¡°?rn¡­a? That¡¯s an unusual name for an¡ª¡±


    F?or stopped himself before taking that thought too far; and fortunately, she didn¡¯t hear him.


    ¡°I mean, th-that¡¯s a lovely name. To be named after herbs, the humblest stars of the earth, is an honor¡­right?¡±


    The look on ?rna¡¯s face, which now seemed more distant and showed signs of discomfort, indicated that his flattery had failed yet again. Struggling to hold a conversation with this stranger, he desperately grasped for something, anything, to save him from this exhausting endeavor. But¡­


    ¡­he wasn¡¯t very good at this sort of thing.


    ¡°So, uh¡­what brings you here?¡±


    With his wits whittled to their end, that was the best he could do. Socializing wasn¡¯t his strength, even if her wind felt strangely welcoming.


    Sensing his struggle, ?rna responded with exhaustion of her own, sighing and slouching.


    Why did I come here, I wonder? I¡¯ve been so careful, so afraid of being found. I haven¡¯t seen a single soul, avoiding every sound as if my life depended on it. Revealing myself was dangerous¡­and yet, when I saw him sitting in this glade, I just¡­felt drawn in?


    Found again after so long¡ªwait, found?¡ªtears threatening to fall down her face¡ªwhy do I felt like I¡¯ve been saved?¡ªshe grabbed the strap of her satchel and faced F?or.


    Why does his wind feel so¡­familiar?


    Ignoring her inner turmoil for the moment, she finally answered his question.


    ¡°I¡¯m on a journey to study herbs.¡±

 A Dawn from the West (2)

    Though she spoke confidently, her facade quickly cracked to reveal the red cheeks of embarrassment and uncertainty. This was to be expected, though, since F?or¡¯s first instinct was to say¡­


    ¡°So a girl named ¡®herb¡¯ is wandering around gathering herbs?¡±


    She puffed her cheeks at him again and whipped her head to the side, pouting.


    ¡°But¡­why would you do such a thing?¡± F?or continued, his voice surprisingly sorrowful.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± ?rna tilted her head and furrowed her brows.


    ¡°Well,¡± F?or began, sorting out his thoughts, ¡°this is their home, right? Why would you take them away from here just to study them?¡±


    He gestured to the glade around him with open arms and, as if conducting a symphony, watched the herbs and flowers respond with playful movement. Their wind joined and wandered, gradually gaining speed as it crescendoed to the end of its phrase: ?rna.


    ¡°I-I never thought of it that way before,¡± she stuttered, feeling a tinge of guilt.


    ¡°People often forget,¡± F?or continued softly, ¡°that like us, plants are spirits who found refuge in the earth¡ªin ?olna¡ªafter growing weary of their endless wandering as wind in Ethyr¨ªa. That means they¡¯ve come here to rest, to enjoy a moment of peace within Her embrace. To rip them from their roots, their source of comfort, seems cruel to me.¡±


    At this point, ?rna felt the seed of frustration welling up inside of her. Who was this man to make her feel guilty for gathering herbs? It wasn¡¯t as if she went around stomping on every flower or setting the whole grove ablaze for selfish gain. Why did everyone always have to put her down for pursuing her passions? But before that emotion could boil over¡ª


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± F?or interjected. ¡°It¡¯s not really fair for me to put it that way. I¡¯m sure you have good intentions, or else your wind wouldn¡¯t be so warm. Plants are a vital source of sustenance, after all. It¡¯s only natural to gather and use them for a variety of things. I understand that well enough, but...¡±


    ?rna looked at him with concern, empathizing with his inner turmoil; but how his problems related to plants remained elusive to her. She couldn¡¯t fault him for that though, since her own struggles centered around the same thing.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± he recovered, ¡°it looks like you¡¯ve come a long way. To leave home in search of herbs to study¡­you must have a good reason to go so far. I certainly couldn¡¯t do such a thing¡­¡±


    ¡°It really wasn¡¯t hard for me to leave,¡± ?rna muttered. ¡°I didn¡¯t have much of a choice, either¡­¡±


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    F?or responded with a look of pure incomprehension. For him, there truly was no place like home. For ?rna, though¡­


    ¡°I left home for two reasons,¡± she sighed, holding up two fingers. ¡°The first is simple: I hated it. I was always put down and scolded for pursuing my ¡®impractical¡¯ and ¡®improper¡¯ interests. No one liked the things I did either, so I was alone. Sometimes people made fun of me, too¡­but they usually just frowned at me with disapproval. I despised that look¡­that tense, suffocating look. It was only a matter of time, really. I finally got fed up with being forced to fulfill expectations I never wanted, so I left.¡±


    F?or was shocked by her bluntness, but that didn¡¯t stop her from continuing. In fact, she seemed unable to stop. Something about F?or, his wind and aura, made her feel like she could finally be honest about herself with someone else. It was liberating.


    ¡°The second reason is a bit more complicated,¡± she admitted somewhat sheepishly. ¡°You see, I¡¯ve always struggled to connect with ?olf?¨¢r. I never have trouble feeling the presence of f?¨¢r, the spirits of Ethyr¨ªa, but land-spirits seem to avoid me. I had hoped it was just because of where I was stuck living, so I decided to come here to G?lenor instead of trying to find my mother in ?lthra¡ª¡°


    She stopped herself, fearing that she may have said too much about her origins as she got carried away; but F?or¡¯s attention hadn¡¯t wavered, so she continued cautiously.


    ¡°Contrary to what I¡¯ve heard,¡± she resumed slowly, ¡°G?lenor is a beautiful land. Rather than being a scary place filled with shadows, I¡¯ve seen ?olf?¨¢r dancing throughout the grove as dewy drops of golden light. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not always this welcoming, but it¡¯s the closest I¡¯ve felt to the earth¡ªto the stars of ?olna¡ªsince I was born. Yet, even so, I still can¡¯t connect with them. I¡¯ve begun to blame the blessing of my birth, which feels more and more like a curse to me every day¡­¡±


    ?rna bit her lip in frustration, tears threatening to well up.


    Meanwhile, F?or was in a daze from the wave of words still washing over him. As he put the pieces together, however, several things became clear. The adversity she faced simply for trying to study herbs, her inability to connect with land-spirits, her preconceptions about G?lenor¡­all of these things confirmed his suspicion about her true identity. And yet, knowing that changed nothing. He should have been afraid, concerned for the safety of his home¡ªbut none of his preconceptions mattered anymore, either. He already saw ?rna as ?rna. Nothing more, nothing less.


    While F?or processed everything, ?rna found the strength to continue.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she managed, wiping a tear from her eye. ¡°You asked me why I study herbs, not for my life¡¯s story. For some reason, I got carried away talking about myself even though I hardly know you. Gylthra is a strange goddess, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    She chuckled awkwardly before clearing her throat and regaining her composure.


    ¡°I want to make a new type of medicine,¡± she declared. ¡°Medicine that, with help from both ?olf?¨¢r and f?¨¢r, can heal any harm done to either the body or the mind. So even though I said I came all this way to study herbs, I also came to study the spirits associated with them¡ªbecause I can¡¯t succeed without them. Salves and infusions simply aren¡¯t enough. No matter how advanced those techniques have become in Pelr¨ªa, something important is still missing¡­¡±


    Her voiced trailed away as she lost herself in thought.


    ¡°You¡¯re incredible,¡± F?or marveled. ¡°In fact, despite the hardships you¡¯ve faced¡­I think I envy you.¡±


    That wasn¡¯t the response ?rna expected.

 A Dawn from the West (3)

    ¡°I¡¯ve always felt rooted to this place.¡±


    F?or¡¯s forlorn eyes remained fixed on the ground as he explained himself. ?rna remained silent, wondering if he actually hated his home, too¡ªbut that thought was quickly abandoned.


    ¡°I¡¯m comfortable here,¡± F?or clarified. ¡°Home is where I¡¯m happiest. Like the herbs and trees around me, I feel refreshed by the roots I¡¯ve planted here. And yet, despite that¡­there are times when I feel bound by them, too.¡±


    F?or looked up at ?rna, gazing straight into her eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s how I felt when you spoke just now. I was inspired, but also reminded of my reluctance. That¡¯s why I feel a bit jealous; because, despite your struggles, you had the strength to wander against all odds. I can¡¯t do that.¡±


    ?rna didn¡¯t know how to respond to that. It was difficult for her to fathom how a person¡¯s home could hold their heart so strongly.


    ¡°Have you never gone on a journey before?¡± She asked, wondering just how far his reluctance went.


    He shook his head.


    ¡°Ever since I was born from a s¨¢lw?am¨¢ra that grew upon G?lnos, I¡¯ve never left G?lenor. I¡¯ve always stayed close to this glade, my house, or that old tree.¡±


    Born from a berry¡­on the great tree G?lnos?! ?rna thought to herself, mystified. Not from Myr¨¢s like the rest of us?


    ¡°D-d-does that mean you literally can¡¯t leave this place?¡± ?rna spluttered.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not the case,¡± he replied, somewhat unsettled by her sudden change of demeanor. ¡°Animals wander freely, after all; and they were born from G?lnos, too. Besides, I actually have a brother who wanders often, despite being so frail. He was born from a s¨¢lw?am¨¢ra too, but his grew on a higher branch than mine did, so¡­perhaps our blessings are different.¡±


    ¡°I-I see,¡± ?rna managed, feeling a bit silly. ¡°What stops you from leaving, then?¡±


    ¡°I guess I¡¯m just afraid,¡± he admitted. ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not just the wonderful stories I¡¯ve heard that are true¡­but the horrifying ones, as well. Compared to those, the comfort of home seems much safer.¡±


    ?rna stiffened.


    ¡°What stories are you most afraid of?¡± She finally asked, fearing the answer he might give.


    F?or hesitated. He didn¡¯t want to tell the truth. In fact, he was beginning to regret how much he had already said. It was strange how quickly the two of them opened up to each other¡­but it was too late to stop now, so he decided to tread cautiously.


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    ¡°Just beyond the borders of G?lenor,¡± F?or began slowly, ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories about a kingdom called Pelr¨ªa. Nothing compares to the prosperity and splendor of that place. Its ancient capital, Pelren, rests beneath a blue-leafed tree called Myr¨¢s¡ªwhich is even older than G?lnos, apparently.


    The greatest garden in all of ?lthren is there as well, tended to by a priestess devoted to both ?olna and R?¨¢lna. It puts this flower-filled glade to shame. After all, they say it was created by the F?ol¨¢sr¨ª¡ªthe Three Kindred¡ªwho worked together in harmony long before Pelren grew to be such a sprawling city. I hope that place is real. I truly do. But, as for the ones who conquered that city to create their new kingdom¡­¡±


    He paused, thinking carefully before continuing.


    ¡°They¡¯ve developed incredible technology, done many great deeds, and helped thousands reach higher standards of living¡­but their violence and philosophies are frightening. Their first king, Eldrenir, betrayed his own adopted nephew to solidify power¡ªand that was only after his greed led him to begin attacking his own people, over and over again, in an attempt to grow his hoard of land.


    ¡°Now their light spreads like wildfire, forcing the land to regrow in their image. Every story I¡¯ve heard, despite the beauty therein, foretells the same fate: that their prosperity comes with a price. That is the seed from which Pelr¨ªa grew, and now they are hostile to anyone who isn¡¯t their kin or adherent to their belief that the land is theirs alone to shape. So even though I¡¯d like to see the wondrous things they¡¯ve made, I just don''t think a person like me would be welcome over there..."


    There was a moment of silence as F?or¡¯s voice faded away.


    ¡°So you¡¯re afraid of the Eld¨¢sr¨ª,¡± ?rna said, finally naming the group that F?or painstakingly avoided mentioning directly. Her wind was cold and heavy, burdened by an incredibly deep sense of sorrow.


    ¡°I am,¡± F?or admitted gruffly. ¡°And if those stories are true¡­then I¡¯m even afraid to stay home, because this place would be next. In fact, that''s what my foster-sister fears more than anything.¡±


    ¡°D-do you hate the Eld¨¢sr¨ª, then?¡± ?rna faltered. "Do you think they''re all bad?"


    F?or was silent for a while as he considered her plea, which only deepened her dread. After all, if she couldn''t find acceptance at home...what would she do if she couldn''t find it here, either? Waiting for an answer to that question felt like an eternity.


    But finally, F?or spoke.


    "The seeds of fear and suffering have been planted in my heart by the stories I''ve heard. I can''t deny that."


    ?rna was crestfallen.


    "Any yet," he resumed, avoiding eye contact, "I still believe that some Eld¨¢sr¨ª are like you: a petal dancing in the wind at dawn, gentle and warm.¡±


    Finally finding the (rare) poetic side of himself, F?or turned his once-awkward speech into the words that ?rna needed to hear most. That didn''t stop him from feeling incredibly embarassed, though. Face red and eyes closed shut, he scolded himself for getting so carried away after talking about old stories; but when he opened his eyes and saw ?rna''s reaction, that feeling quickly abated.


    She was rubbing tears from her eyes.


    F?or smiled softly in turn, offering silent support as relief settled into her spirit. After all, she was an Eld¨¢sr herself. To receive acceptance rather than prejudice from someone living in a land threatened by her people must have meant a lot to her¡ªan Eld¨¢sr running not only from her own hostile home, but from an externally-imposed identity she felt no harmony with.


    ¡°You know," she began softly, "if you want to see the world beyond this grove, you don¡¯t have to travel alo¡ª¡°


    A growl from the edge of the glade cut her words short.

 A Dawn from the West (4)

    With that sound came a wrathful wind that wrapped itself around ?rna, who turned to face it.


    Looking at her were the lavender eyes of a massive, white wolf. Gleaming in the shadows of the grove, they distorted ?rna¡¯s light with their menacing mood. As it bore its teeth at her, she saw another fang shimmer as it was unsheathed¡ªa rider revealed upon its back.


    They leapt out and over ?rna in an instant, landing between her and F?or.


    ¡°What is an Eld¨¢sr doing here?!¡± The rider boomed.


    ?rna trembled.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m just¡­I w-w-was only¡ª¡°


    She closed her eyes tightly. Who would actually believe her in a moment like this? It was an act of mithra¡ªa miracle¡ªthat F?or had been so patient and open-minded with her. There was just no way that luck could last¡­


    And then she felt a rush of cold air¡ªfollowed by a blade to her neck.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself, cinder,¡± a voice warned in ?rna¡¯s ear, jolting her eyes open again. It belonged to the rider, who was now only inches from ?rna¡¯s face. She was a demi-human, blending the traits of wolf and Lu¨¢lr together as one¡ªa G?lr.


    ¡°Herbs,¡± ?rna whimpered. ¡°I¡¯m here to g-gather herbs.¡±


    She pointed to her basket, which had toppled over to reveal a few local flowers, namely a bundle of el?¨¢s¨ªr and a singlenoramyr. And yet, despite that evidence¡­


    Beads of blood appeared where the blade nicked ?rna¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Lies,¡± growled the G?lr. ¡°Even at a glance I can tell you¡¯re too pampered for that. Your hands are too smooth and your hair too silken for serious labor. I suppose you thought it made for a convenient cover, though.


    ¡°But why come so far for so little?¡± the G?lr pressed. ¡°Those plants grow at the edges of G?lenor. Why not pick them there and prance your way back home? Why did you come to the heart of our land for a basket-full of herbs? Better yet, how did get this far?!¡±


    She returned her blade to ?rna¡¯s throat, drawing fresh blood.


    ¡°This grove is full of sentries,¡± she explained. ¡°Every animal wandering these woods watches for trespassers like you. How could a humble herbalist slip past all of them?¡±


    ?rna was silent. She looked down and to the left, unsure of what to do or how to respond. After all, even she didn¡¯t know how she had come so far. She simply followed her feet. Of course she could have gathered these herbs closer to home, but she didn¡¯t want to be home to begin with. But there was no way that answer would help her now. Being honest wasn¡¯t going to save her; and to make matters worse, her only potential ally, F?or, was probably starting to doubt her, as well.


    "Answer me!"


    There was no time to think. Seeing no way out, she began to accept her doom and hope for mercy...


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    "Valyr¨ªa,¡± a familiar voice intervened. "I know she''s an Eld¨¢sr, but...but her wind..." And then it faltered. Valyr¨ªa''s sharp, violet eyes swiftly silenced it.


    "F?or," she replied, her voice both stern and surprisingly soft. "You¡¯re too gentle. Dangerously so. I know you despise conflict, but this is necessary. For the sake of our home, I can''t let her go.¡±


    ¡°P-please,¡± ?rna begged. ¡°I swear to Gylthra that I mean no harm. I¡­I ran away from home. I d-don¡¯t have any loyalty for that¡ª¡°


    ¡°Your spells have no hold here,¡± Valyr¨ªa interrupted, her words final. As they echoed in ?rna¡¯s mind, the wolf Valyr¨ªa had ridden lowered its head and snarled. It was then that she saw the rose-gold markings swirling through its silvery coat¡ªa sign that before her was an ?olf?¨¢nor, one of the ancient, greater land-spirits charged with guarding G?lenor.


    And then¡­the unthinkable happened.


    F?or grabbed Valyr¨ªa¡¯s wrist, pulling the blade away from ?rna¡¯s throat. Valyr¨ªa caught her breath, her razor-sharp focus wavering for the first time. Never before had F?or acted so forcefully. This seemed to shock everyone in the glade; but ?rna, who had only just met F?or, was able to snap back to her senses before the rest. Taking advantage of that moment, she swooped down, spun around, and began sprinting back towards the grove.


    Valyr¨ªa clicked her tongue, flying after ?rna with fury. It wouldn¡¯t be long before she caught her. Even a nimble Eld¨¢sr could hardly hope to outrun a G?lr and ?olf?¨¢nor in their home turf. This time, however, Valyr¨ªa had no intention to ask questions. She planned to end things swiftly, before that cinder could set the whole grove ablaze.


    "Stop this madness!"


    Birds fled as the earth shook, reverberating with that bellowed command. Only Valyr¨ªa continued undaunted, chasing after her prey; but even she was stopped by the great bear that appeared before her, standing twice as tall as its kin. Its deep brown coat was hoary and tipped with moss, making it seem as though he had risen from the earth itself¡ªand perhaps he had. Turning around as she stumbled, ?rna saw the rose-gold swirls of the ?olf?¨¢nor¨ª on its back before she disappeared into the shadows once more.


    "What are you doing?!" Valyr¨ªa barked, undeterred. "She''s getting away!"


    "F?or was right to stop you, young sapling," he soothed. "Did you really not notice? I know V¨¢rnos did and yet he still went along with your vehemence. That young F?ol¨¢sr meant no harm here. Her wind was indeed warm."


    Valyr¨ªa stared at him in stunned silence for a moment, but her bottled frustration soon erupted.


    "You crazy old coot! I don''t care if you''re the lord of this land, B?olnos, you''re going senile! You''re too soft! You''re always so...so...wishy-washy! You know war looms just over our heads! We can''t afford to make mistakes..."


    "Even so," B?olnos began, "I forbid any action be taken before an assembly can gather beneath G?lnos to discuss this matter with balanced minds."


    Valyr¨ªa groaned.


    ¡°V¨¢rnos and I can sense the winds of Ethyr¨ªa more clearly than you or F?or,¡± B?olnos chided. ¡°I cannot fathom a F?ol¨¢sr like her coming this far without receiving guidance from Gylthra. Can you? Can you truly imagine a spy so skillful? Nay, she wandered here on the winds of fate.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll doom us all if you rely on a goddess for guidance,¡± Valyr¨ªa stated grimly.


    ¡°Please,¡± B?olos sighed, ¡°just have faith in my instincts and experience, young sapling.¡±


    ¡°Faith won¡¯t save us from the fire,¡± she spat.


    While they argued, F?or glazed at the palm of his hand, which now held the noramyr that ?rna left behind. It had grown in the grove but far from his glade, so he had never seen it before. Each of its four petals was tipped with a different color. He found it strange and beautiful, not knowing the significance that it bore.


    Then his eyes wandered west, wondering where ?rna had gone and what she would do¡­and how she would survive. Indeed, he worried. The thought of chasing after her crossed his mind, and yet his feet remained firmly rooted to his glade. He was afraid, perhaps even more so now that he could no longer hide from the reality of the wider world. For better or worse, it had seeped into his life through ?rna. With her came a dawn from the west¡ªbut how bright the day it would bring remained to be seen.


    And further west than F?or¡¯s thoughts, at the edge of G?lenor where the meadow of Myr¨¢s ends, entered Valyr¨ªa¡¯s greatest fear.

 Friend or Foe? (1)

    An ¨¢ren pecking at F?or¡¯s wooden shutters signaled that dawn had come again.


    Groggily rolling out of bed (almost literally), F?or stumbled towards a nearby wooden cabinet. Feeling his way around, he opened a small square drawer, grabbling a generous pinch of semi-oxidized m?a leaves. He tossed them into a clay teapot before dragging himself to the hearth at the heart of his round home, over which hung a cauldron of water. After getting a fire going, he sat in a daze waiting for the water to boil.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t concern me,¡± he mumbled.


    He watched the flickering flames with a stern face, still haunted by his encounter with ?rna three days prior. He was afraid, of course, now that he could no longer deny the reality of the war Valyr¨ªa worked so tirelessly to prevent; but more surprising was his concern for ?rna, which seemed to weigh upon his heart just as heavily.


    ¡°She¡¯s just a strange¡­stranger,¡± he told himself unconvincingly.


    He remained trapped in his thoughts until the sound of bubbling water snatched him away again. Normally, he would have used that time to prepare breakfast; but now, for the third day in a row, he had failed to do so. Sighing in defeat, he grabbed a wooden ladel, scooped some water into his teapot, and grabbed a handful of nuts from a nearby jar. That would have to suffice (again).


    To be honest, he was exhausted. It¡¯s not that he did too much, but rather thought too much. His anxiety was so high that as soon as he stepped out of his door, the sound of a single twig snapping was enough to make him jump. His racing heart was both relieved and disappointed to discover that it was just a squirrel.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me?¡± he mumbled, still adjusting his belt as he headed up to his garden. Indeed, like most other dwellings in his valley, his turf-topped house was dug partially into the earth with mossy, cobblestone walls. A small, stone staircase wound along the side, taking him up to the fenced-in mound where his garden grew.


    And that¡¯s where his worries abated, at least temporarily.


    Atop his home, surrounded by his not-so-curated garden and caressed by the grove¡¯s gentle breeze, nothing troubled him. Even the clacking calls of waking orf?¨¢r¡ªgolems made of mossy stone¡ªdidn¡¯t bother him (and they could be quite noisy). It was a safe space, which he sorely needed after the events troubling him made him too afraid to wander away from home. Even his familiar glade was off-limits now.


    But his respite there was indeed short today.


    ¡°Oooooi!¡± came a cheerful voice from below.


    ¡°Shh! Don¡¯t shout!¡± Hissed another, more timid voice. ¡°You¡¯ll make him jump.¡±


    F?or had, of course, already jolted and nearly fell over the fence surrounding his sanctuary.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just you guys,¡± F?or exhaled, slumping over.


    ¡°Just us?!¡± cried the loud fellow. ¡°That ain¡¯t no way to talk ta yer friends!¡±


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    ¡°S-sorry, F?or,¡± soothed the quiet one. ¡°We heard about what happened. I wanted to give you more time to yourself, but Belor couldn¡¯t wait anymore.¡±


    ¡°Tha¡¯s right!¡± Belor bellowed. ¡°Ya need yer friends. We know yer a bit of a hermit an¡¯ ya don¡¯t like talkin¡¯ ta many folks¡­but ya jus¡¯ can¡¯t coop yerself up so much. So I says to H¨¢lin here that we needs ta go see young F?or now.¡±


    F?or grunted.


    ¡°See!¡± H¨¢lin exclaimed, gently slapping the back of Belor¡¯s bald head. ¡°I told you he wasn¡¯t ready.¡±


    Belor just furrowed his brows and knocked H¨¢lin¡¯s pointed hat to the ground.


    ¡°No, no,¡± F?or sighed, waving at them to stop. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Really. I appreciate you coming to check up on me.¡± He smiled softly and began making his way back down from his garden to greet them properly.


    Belor and H¨¢lin were both ?olr¨ª, but quite different from one another. Belor was a classic, mountain-dwelling ?olr. His head was like a polished stone, but he boasted one of the best beards in G?lenor (which he braided and adorned with great care). H¨¢lin, on the other hand, was a mound-dwelling ?olr. He was beardless and bookish. Despite their obvious contrast, they dwelled together and worked as a masonry-carpentry duo.


    ¡°Well, since you¡¯re here,¡± F?or began, ¡°I suppose I should make a proper meal. My breakfast was a bit¡­meager.¡±


    ¡°Second breakfast is all I ever dream of!¡± Belor sang.


    ¡°As you know, I don¡¯t have any ale,¡± F?or reminded. ¡°But I do have some of that tea you like, H¨¢lin.¡±


    ¡°The one with fol?amyr buds and dried river-berries?!¡± H¨¢lin asked with sparkling eyes.


    F?or nodded.


    ¡°I was just gathering a few fol?amyr buds in my garden,¡± he replied proudly. ¡°They¡¯re still wet with dew, which will add a nice touch. As for the river-berries, I picked some on my way to the glade the other day, so they¡¯re still fresh!¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s make haste!¡± H¨¢lin chirped.


    ¡°Oi,¡± Belor growled, ¡°weren¡¯t you jus¡¯ sayin¡¯ to take things slow?¡±


    ¡°B-b-but¡­berries and tea!¡± H¨¢lin returned Belor¡¯s jeer with pouty eyes.


    Belor sighed, defeated.


    ¡°D¡¯ya have those berries as a jam, F?or? I¡¯d love a bit o¡¯ that on some of yer ?¨¢na bread. And perhaps a mug o¡¯ that darkened m?a stuff ya make.¡±


    ¡°Black tea?¡± F?or clarified. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve got some left. The jam, too. As for the bread¡­it¡¯s not fresh, but we can probably make do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have some o¡¯ that with eggs then, if ya don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Me too!¡± H¨¢lin added.


    ¡°Alight, alright,¡± F?or agreed, beckoning them to follow him into his home. ¡°That sounds like a much better breakfast than what I had, anyway. But it¡¯s kind of a shame¡­¡±


    He stopped at his door.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­well, it would be nice if I knew more about these herbs. They¡¯re delicious, of course, but¡­I¡¯m sure I could make better things with them if I did. You know, like their benefits and such? I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Belor and H¨¢lin looked at each other with concern. After all, F?or didn¡¯t usually think so hard about these things. He was a great cook, but most of his creations came from throwing things together on a whim.


    ¡°Does¡­does this have to do with the Eld¨¢sr you met the other day, by chance?¡± H¨¢lin asked nervously.


    F?or turned with a start, catching his breath.


    ¡°N-no, of course not!¡± he stammered. ¡°I mean, maybe? I don¡¯t know¡­probably.¡±


    ¡°Ya shouldn¡¯t get involved with ¡®er,¡± Belor warned gently. ¡°We know ya have a soft spot for herbs, but¡­ya just shouldn¡¯t get involved. Ya don¡¯t want that trouble.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± F?or replied, eyes downcast.


    H¨¢lin jabbed Belor in the side as an awkward silence grew like a weed between them and F?or.


    ¡°We should tell him,¡± H¨¢lin whispered.


    ¡°Now?!¡± Belor breathed. ¡°But he hasn¡¯t made us breakfast yet!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. If he¡¯s already this depressed, we might as well get it out of the way.¡±


    The silence lingered.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Belor acquiesced, ¡°but if he sends us back without breakfast, I¡¯ll kick ya.¡±


    H¨¢lin rolled his eyes. ¡°Go on, then.¡±


    Belor cleared his throat.


    ¡°L-look F?or,¡± he began, uncharacteristically hesitant, ¡°tha truth is¡­well, we also came here for another reason.¡±


    F?or looked suspiciously at Belor.


    ¡°We were asked to give ya¡­this.¡±


    He handed F?or a thin, wooden tablet.


    ¡°It¡¯s a summons,¡± H¨¢lin explained. ¡°They want you to speak at the assembly.¡±


    And so F?or¡¯s week had just gotten much, much worse.

 Friend or Foe? (2)

    F?or still made them breakfast.


    But he was grumpy and a bit miserable.


    ¡°Why not have Valyr¨ªa do it?¡± he complained, playing with his food.


    ¡°She¡¯s headed to the border with V¨¢rnos,¡± H¨¢lin explained. ¡°Right after your encounter, birds came from the west bearing news that¡ª¡°


    ¡°¡®an besides,¡± Belor interrupted forcefully, glaring at H¨¢lin, ¡°ya spent more time with ¡®er than anyone else. Whether ya like it or not, yer the one that knows ¡®er best.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about what¡¯s ¡®best¡¯ or ¡®most logical¡¯,¡± huffed F?or. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go. I never go to assemblies, anyway. I always vote by squirrel.¡±


    Belor slumped onto the table, rolling his eyes.


    ¡°Now, now,¡± H¨¢lin soothed, ¡°there¡¯s no need to be childish about it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not being childish,¡± F?or snipped. ¡°It just affects me more than most. Assemblies are so draining¡­and then they want me to speak as a witness on top of it all?¡±


    F?or slumped onto the table, joining Belor in defeat.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, F?or,¡± H¨¢lin said, ¡°but if you don¡¯t come, the whole grove will be at your doorstep to pester you about it. Why not get it done with all at once instead of having to repeat yourself over and over again?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡±¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± he relented. ¡°I don¡¯t like it, but whatever. When¡¯s the assembly?¡±


    H¨¢lin and Belor exchanged a look.


    ¡°Three dawns from now,¡± they replied in unison.


    ¡°That soon?!¡±


    ¡°Well, this is considered an emergency.¡±


    ¡°I-I guess I¡¯ll bring stuff to make tea with, then,¡± F?or decided. ¡°I¡¯ll be anxious, so I¡¯ll want something with luamyr in it. Perhaps¡ª¡°


    He paused, furrowing his brows as he stared blankly past his friends.


    ¡°W-what is it?¡± H¨¢lin asked, concerned.


    ¡°Oh¡­uh, nothing. It¡¯s just that¡­well, I wonder if that¡¯s how an herbalist would think? I wonder what else may have a calming effect¡­¡±


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    ¡°Stop right there,¡± Belor warned. ¡°It¡¯s fine if ya want to play with yer herbs, but I still don¡¯ like how all this talk came about. Yer actin¡¯ different. That cinder changed ya.¡±


    ¡°Cinder seems a bit harsh.¡±


    ¡°F?or,¡± H¨¢lin pressed sternly. ¡°What exactly are you going to say about that Eld¨¢sr when you go to the assembly? Everyone might get suspicious of you¡ªyes, even you¡ªif you¡¯re too friendly.¡±


    A moment of silence passed as F?or¡¯s friends scrutinized him.


    ¡°But¡­that¡¯s the thing,¡± F?or finally answered. ¡°She was nothing but friendly to me, so what else should I be in return? Do you want me to just mindlessly repeat everyone¡¯s prejudice instead of being honest about my own experience? She was warm and kind, but everyone insists that she¡¯s here to cause trouble. You even called her ¡®cinder,¡¯ Belor, despite having never met her. Isn¡¯t that¡­wrong?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s playin¡¯ ya like a harp,¡± Belor quipped, shaking his head.


    ¡°You¡¯ll cause quite the stir if you talk about her like that at the assembly,¡± H¨¢lin warned.


    ¡°Then they shouldn¡¯t call me as a witness,¡± F?or snapped. ¡°If they only want people to say what they want to hear to justify their assumptions, then they really should have called Valyr¨ªa as a witness instead of me.¡±


    ¡°We told you, she¡¯s¡ª¡°


    ¡°And Belor,¡± F?or continued unabated, ¡°dismissing my feelings like that isn¡¯t only an affront to me, but also unfair to women in general. This isn¡¯t as simple as a man being infatuated with a woman; nor is it a case of a woman manipulating a man with a flirtatious facade. That¡¯s not how our conversation went. I¡¯ll admit that I¡¯m a bit gullible at times¡­and I did find her pretty¡­but even B?olnos¡ªB?olnos¡ªagreed that she wasn¡¯t acting nefariously. So why does everyone insist otherwise?¡±


    ¡°Because o¡¯ the war!¡± Belor boomed, fists slamming against the table. ¡°Jus¡¯ after yer date with that lass, birds came ta warn us that troops entered G?lenor! Troops, F?or! I know yer an honest lad, but these are not tha times fer bein¡¯ soft. Pull yerself together.¡±


    ¡°T-troops?¡± F?or stuttered. ¡°Troops from the west? B-but¡­that¡¯s¡­.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Belor confirmed. ¡°Soldiers from Pelr¨ªa with weapons an¡¯ armor more beautiful an¡¯ brilliant than anythin¡¯ my kindred have ever made.¡±


    ¡°And a fire gleaming in their eyes,¡± H¨¢lin added sheepishly.


    ¡°We knew they¡¯d come eventually,¡± Belor spat, ¡°but that girl comin¡¯ seems ta have sped everythin¡¯ up. It¡¯s not¡¯a coincidence. Can¡¯t be. Nothin¡¯ like that happens by chance. They¡¯re connected somehow.¡±


    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s a princess or something,¡± H¨¢lin wondered.


    ¡°Bah! Ain¡¯t no way. A princess wouldn¡¯t walk all this way. An¡¯ why would she, eh? It¡¯s dirty an¡¯ backwards here, ¡®cording ta them. Their folk hate this place.¡±


    ¡°But why would troops come after a¡­normal Eld¨¢sr?¡±


    ¡°Valyr¨ªa prob¡¯ly had it right. I bet she¡¯s been spyin¡¯ fer ¡®em.¡±


    F?or was too stunned to argue with them, let alone listen. The changing world around him was rapidly becoming too real for him to handle. In fact, he still tried to deny it.


    ¡°They¡¯re not actually¡­real, though, are they? The soldiers and Pelr¨ªa, I mean. Like, that¡¯s all just stuff from the realm of stories, right? You¡¯re just saying that because you¡¯re treating me like a child.¡±


    ¡°After all ya¡¯ve been through this week¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­you¡¯re seriously going to say it¡¯s all just a story?¡±


    His friends glared at him.


    ¡°I, uh¡­I guess not.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re scared, F?or,¡± Belor said with his face buried in his hands. ¡°Tha¡¯s all. I know it¡¯s not an excuse, but we honestly don¡¯t mean ta be bad folk. We¡¯re just¡­scared.¡±


    ¡°Keep that in mind when you speak at the assembly,¡± H¨¢lin urged. ¡°If you want to be honest like you were with us just now, that¡¯s fine¡­but be prepared for an uproar.¡±


    Be prepared? F?or was far from ready; and even three years, let alone a mere three dawns, would hardly change that.

 Friend or Foe? (3)

    Naturally, especially when something is to be avoided, time flows all the more swiftly.


    Those three dawns were no exception.


    F?or emerged (reluctantly) from the grove wearing his dark-green traveling coat with a matching pointed hat. He didn¡¯t wear them often, so they smelled a bit stuffy and made him feel¡­stiff. He needed comfort and confidence, but his outfit provided neither. It did, however, protect him from the elements (thanks to the coat) and make him seem somewhat presentable (thanks to the hat). But he was thankful for neither of those things in that moment.


    Before him was the Glade of G?lnos, which glowed cozily with the rose-gold hue of the ?olf?¨¢r and their mushroom dwellings. A diverse crowd was already gathering there, packed with a dizzying array of folk, friends, and kindred: Lu¨¢lr¨ª, G?lr¨ª, ?olr¨ª, orf?¨¢r, and all the animals who followed their ?olf?¨¢nor?an lords (to name but a few).


    Those lords were now convened for a separate, pre-assembly meeting at the most sacred place in all of G?lenor. There, at the center of that great glade, they spoke within a den formed amid the roots of G?lnos¡ªbut they were also on an isle, for a f?ol-rich lake pooled beneath G?lnos before seeping back into the land they so loved.


    In contrast to their solemn meeting, the rest of the folk gathered in the glade had begun unleashing festivities. A mixed group of easterners from beyond the Eldg¨¢r showcased some of their newest instruments, namely double-reed woodwinds and lyres made from shell and wood. Likewise, groups of G?lr¨ª gathered to display their intricate wooden carvings and compete against the beautiful beadwork of their Lu¨¢lr¨ª neighbors. Not all activity was admirable, though, as some ?olr¨ª could be seen playing a game of ball with an unfortunate orf?a (who was the ball).


    It would be a lie to say F?or wasn¡¯t enamored by these things, but¡­


    ¡°I want to go home.¡±


    He still complained.


    Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on where your sympathies lie), Belor and H¨¢lin were keeping an eye out for their friend. Seeing him enter the glade and immediately drag his feet, they beckoned him over to the smaller, calmer crowd that they had gathered. They were, by all accounts, having a tea party¡ªthough, admittedly, some of that ¡®tea¡¯ was made from fermented hops or roasted beans from the east. All that really mattered, however, was the aura of the group, which was warm and welcoming.


    When F?or finally joined them, he felt an immediate sense of ease envelope him¡ªfollowed by a swift hand, stronger and more solid than Belor¡¯s, slap him jovially on the back. It belonged to a friendly R?lkr¡ªa giant-like race of mossy, stumpy, stoney folk. Some called their rowdy children tur?lk¨ª, especially when they stubbornly refused to grow out of their pranking ways; but this fellow was old and wise, carrying a rather rare book filled with stories.


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    ¡°?olorn!¡± F?or exclaimed.


    The two embraced in a warm reunion, F?or¡¯s face planted snuggly in his mossy beard.


    ¡°Where have you been? I haven¡¯t seen you in months!¡±


    ¡°Been wand¡¯rin¡¯ in tha east,¡± he answered. ¡°O¡¯er tha Eldg¨¢r this time.¡±


    ¡°Wandering¡­eh? And that far from home this time?¡± F?or looked downward. For the first time, he was¡­jealous.


    ¡°Don¡¯ worry yerself,¡± ?olorn soothed. ¡°I brough¡¯ back some stories fer ya, like always.¡±


    ¡°Stories from beyond the Eldg¨¢r?!¡±


    Despite being a shut-in obsessed with plants, F?or was quite fond of stories. It was the reason he assumed (or rather tried to fool himself into believing) that all bad things belonged in ¡®the realm of stories.¡¯ It was a defense mechanism for sure, but also a way for him to safety travel far beyond his safe space. Folk like ?olorn, who he regarded as a foster-uncle of sorts, indulged that side of him by bringing him a new story every time they returned from abroad.


    ¡°I heard more than one ye¡¯d like,¡± ?olorn began, unsure which story to share. ¡°I¡¯ve ne¡¯er told ye any stories from that east, have I?¡±


    F?or shook his head. Surprisingly, no one had.


    ¡°In that case¡­I could tell ye about the brown-skinned Olv¨¢lor?o who was believed ta be blessed by R?¨¢lna Herself and led tha first group of folk o¡¯er tha Eldg¨¢r.¡±


    F?or leaned forward.


    ¡°If so, I s¡¯pose I could tell ye about how he and his kin chased after a star that fell ta the earth¡ªa star, my boy!¡±


    ¡°Did they ever reach it?!¡±


    ¡°Or perhaps I could tell ye about a mount¡¯n that was once taller than Eld¨¢spor,¡± he continued, purposely switching stories and leaving F?or¡¯s question unanswered. ¡°?rlend, they called it, before it blew with fire ¡®n rage at their folly.¡±


    F?or was now speechless and torn. He wanted to hear both stories, of course.


    ¡°But what I really wanted ta dooo,¡± ?olorn dragged, amused by F?or¡¯s excitement-induced frustration, ¡°was show ya this.¡±


    He held his book out to F?or, who calmed himself ever so slightly as he beheld something new and strange.


    ¡°The descendants of Olv¨¢lor?o don¡¯ use scrolls like the Eld¨¢sr¨ª,¡± ?olorn explained. ¡°Nor wood¡¯n tablets ¡®n stone like us. They use¡¯ta make clay tablets, I guess¡­but now they make somethin¡¯ called paper from reeds that grow in tha water. They sew ¡¯em between wood¡¯n covers like this, I s¡¯ppose. Neat, eh?¡±


    He smiled heartily as F?or¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    ¡°Only one problem,¡± H¨¢lin chimed in, holding a finger up. ¡°He can¡¯t actually read it.¡±


    ¡°Nope!¡± ?olorn laughed deeply. ¡°None o¡¯ us can. We know our letters, sure¡­but they write like this.¡±


    ?olorn held the book open, revealing vaguely familiar characters strung together in a seamless line.


    ¡°I was hopin¡¯ ta find an easterner willin¡¯ ta teach us after this assembly ends,¡± ?olorn continued.


    ¡°That would be great!¡± F?or chirped; but his smile soon faltered. Did he really want to stick around and let things go back to normal? But maybe he could learn more about herbs from these books¡­


    ¡°Oi!¡± Belor growled. ¡°None o¡¯ that. Ya put that girl behind ya. Keep ¡®er there.¡±


    ¡°Girl?!¡± ?olorn gasped. ¡°How¡¯d ya meet a girl when ya ne¡¯er leave yer home?¡±


    ¡°She went ta him,¡± Belor answered.


    ¡°But,¡± Halin interjected, ¡°she was an Eld¨¢sr.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± ?olorn snorted before turning back to F?or. ¡°What was she like, my boy? Friendly? Ferocious? Fair? Fright¡¯nin¡¯?¡±


    F?or spluttered incoherently, unable to answer.


    ¡°?olorn,¡± Belor warned. ¡°She¡¯s tha reason we gathered for this emergency assembly.¡±


    ?olorn narrowed his eyes, trying to discern the deeper meaning of that statement.


    ¡°And F?or here is our star witness,¡± H¨¢lin added.


    And then, as if on que, came the death knell for F?or¡¯s bubble of peace (quite literally), for the singing bell of the ?olf?¨¢nor¨ª resounded throughout the glade.


    It was time to begin.

 Friend or Foe? (4)

    A moment of silence lingered after the singing bell¡¯s song settled into the glade.


    Obeying its sacred command, everyone put away their things and began moving toward the Heart of G?lnos like brooks flowing into its life-giving lake.


    F?or reluctantly followed.


    In those days, assemblies in G?lenor were still conducted like symphonies¡ªa tradition with roots in the early days of Pelren when the F?ol¨¢sr¨ª still dwelled together as one. Everyone had a part to play. The ?olf?¨¢nor¨ª gathered beneath G?lnos to serve as conductors, while soloists and sections rose to melody and returned to harmony as the discussion ebbed and flowed.


    F?or was fated to be among the soloists this time; and though many would revel at such an opportunity to indulge their ego and elevate their social standing, he was devastated. So great was his anxiety that he shuddered when B?olnos began to speak.


    ¡°My deepest thanks to all who have gathered here. As rumor spreads more quickly than the light of dawn, I am sure that most of you already know why we have come here again just weeks after our annual summer assembly. But do not fret, my friends, for we shall keep this meeting brief.¡±


    Whispers rippled through the crowd.


    A new voice spoke next.


    ¡°Merely six dawns ago, a young Eld¨¢sr came close to this very glade.¡±


    It belonged to R?¨¢lnos the ¨¢nor-blind, a starry-eyed owl of great wisdom.


    A few gasps of surprise echoed his words, followed by a swift crescendo of murmuring.


    ¡°How is that possible?¡±


    The voice of an old ?olr with a long, white beard rose above the rest. His frustration resonated with several others, though, who swiftly followed his lead.


    ¡°Where do our tributes go if not protection against such a thing? How careless have our scouts become?!¡±


    ¡°Perhaps they spend our tributes on treats, fattenin¡¯ themselves instead o¡¯ fightin¡¯ fer us.¡±


    ¡°Are traitors in our midst?¡±


    ¡°Not a single soul saw this Eld¨¢sr wandering throughout our home? Preposterous! They must have come from the sea.¡±


    ¡°Are those routes not protected, too, though?¡±


    ¡°The Lualv¨¢lor¨ª must be sleeping in their boats.¡±


    ¡°Baseless slander! We have been more vigilant than the land-watchers, I assure you. They are the ones who have grown lazy, hiding behind the gnarled roots of their travel-hindering trees.¡±


    ¡°How dare you speak so slanderously of our sacred ?¨¢n¨¢r! This is why we still don¡¯t trust the Lu¨¢lr¨ª. You¡¯ve slayed our lords before. Maybe you¡¯re actually helping the Eld¨¢sr¨ª! They want to burn all of our trees to the ground. You¡¯d like that, wouldn¡¯t you?!¡±


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    "Enough banter," B?olnos boomed. "We do not know how the Eld¨¢sr made it this far. Our friends and allies are investigating that very conundrum. Give them time. Do not turn against your neighbors without first taking time to consider the matter more carefully. I suspect Gylthra guided the Eld¨¢sr; and we are in no place to question the intentions of the eldest hyl?a. What matters most now is not how it happened, but what must be done now that it has come to pass."


    Drums of discontent continued to reverberate through the assembly, but he continued unabated.


    ¡°She was indeed found, eventually. V¨¢rnos and myself bore witness, along with Valyr¨ªa, the elder daughter of L?ra, and F?or, the younger berry-born son of G?lnos.¡±


    Several eyes looked to F?or with amazement and scrutiny; but many more looked frantically for Valyr¨ªa and V¨¢rnos, who were no where to be found.


    Another new voice answered them.


    ¡°Valiant Valyr¨ªa and V¨¢rnos have gone west.¡±


    It belonged to Rog¨¢los, the swift eagle and messenger of the ?olf?¨¢nor¨ª.


    ¡°Shortly after news of that Eld¨¢sr¡¯s arrival reached our ears, more of my kindred came from the edge of the Meadow of Myr¨¢s to warn us that Pelr?an troops had entered G?lenor.¡±


    The crescendo that had been building in the glade suddenly erupted, devolving their symphony into a cacophony of panic.


    Few knew, it seemed, about the troops.


    Denial and dread danced within F?or, trying to determine which emotion would rule over him. He wanted to avoid reality for a third time, but hearing the news from the ?olf?¨¢nor¨ª in such a sacred place set it all in stone. He couldn''t pretend to fool himself anymore. Dread had finally prevailed.


    ¡°And to make matters wooorse,¡± yet another voice added, this time belonging to a raccoon-dog named T¨¢lnos. ¡°We haven''t been able to fiiind the Eld¨¢sr who caaame here.¡±


    That was the final straw.


    ¡°How could she escape Valyr¨ªa?¡± a lynx G?lr questioned. ¡°Was she not surrounded by two ?olf?¨¢nor, the queen of our kindred, and...a shut-in peasant?!¡±


    ¡°A shut-in peasant?¡± F?or decried. ¡°That...that doesn''t seem very nice.¡±


    ¡°D-don''t take it too personally,¡± H¨¢lin soothed his friend awkwardly. It was kind of true, after all.


    Belor was too busy suppressing his laugh (unsuccessfully) to offer any comfort whatsoever.


    ¡°You¡¯re telling us this Eld¨¢sr slipped through our defenses, outmatched our finest members¡ªplus F?or, I guess¡ªand then escaped completely unharmed? Was she simply so skilled, or¡ª¡±


    ¡°I let her go.¡±


    B?olnos answered simply without hesitation.


    But that proved to be disastrous.


    Chaos, clamor, cacophony¡­


    Too many voices rose in protest and dismay. How could he be so foolish? They felt betrayed.


    R?¨¢lnos tried to explain B?olnos¡¯ decision, for he alone could see the flow of ethyr, the fabric of the universe, but no one listened. No one could even hear him. The folk of G?lenor, fearing for their lives and home, quickly lost faith in the greater land-spirits that had long protected them. Two strikes of failure were just too much for them to ignore. Perhaps the ?olf?¨¢nor¨ª truly were too old to understand their modern plights¡­


    But then a Lu¨¢lr woman began to sing, cutting through the calamity.


    She stood tall and firm as others quavered, her braided silver hair shimmering like the full moon. Her purple-gray skin was painted with lavender swirls. Her pale, violet eyes were regal and refined, filled to the brim with serenity (and sorrow). Her name was Gylda, the younger daughter of L?ra.


    ¡°Listen,¡± she said after her song ended.


    The glade fell silent, captivated by her spell.


    ¡°Listen and learn. Hear the whole story. Speak not before nor during, but after with clarity; for only a calm heart and open mind can see through the fog.¡±


    Her manner of speaking was archaic, but that is precisely what gave them power in that moment. Indeed, she stood before them as proof that the past lives on in the present, passed down and reshaped.


    ¡°All voices, new and old, give us guidance,¡± she continued. ¡°And we can only improve upon the past after first facing it, so listen and let them speak.¡±


    B?olnos bowed deeply.


    ¡°You have my gratitude, lady Gylda,¡± he said. ¡°But despite your words, I shall indeed let the younger voices be heard instead.¡±


    He turned his green eyes to the glade before him, searching for a single shut-in peasant.


    ¡°F?or, please share your experience with us.¡±

 Friend or Foe? (5)

    F?or froze as every eye in the glade fell on his shoulders.


    How could anyone speak in a setting like that, let alone breathe? It was unbearable. He wasn¡¯t like Gylda. His words only worked well in his head. He couldn¡¯t speak them into a spell-binding song like she could. And now B?olnos wanted him to speak right after her? No way. That was definitely asking for too much.


    ¡°Go on,¡± Belor urged.


    ¡°We have your back,¡± H¨¢lin soothed. ¡°No matter what you say, we¡¯ll stand behind you.¡±


    ¡°Tha¡¯s right,¡± ?olorn laughed. ¡°Jus¡¯ be yerself an¡¯ worry ¡®bout tha rest later.¡±


    I guess there isn¡¯t anything I can do to get out of this¡­


    Closing his eyes, he held his ?¨¢na-bead bracelet to his nose, took a deep breath, and steadied his heart. He then spoke while looking at the small flowers sprouting beneath his feet.


    ¡°She was¡­peculiar. I¡­m-mistook her for a f?¨¢nor at first, but¡­it didn¡¯t take me long to figure out that she was an¡­an Eld¨¢sr.¡±


    He took another deep breath.


    ¡°She was passionate about herbs. We spoke about that a lot. She, uh, said she wanted to help others heal. I¡­I was actually jealous of her. I mean¡­it takes a lot to leave home to pursue your dreams, right? I thought¡­I thought that was kind of impressive.


    ¡°She said her life at home wasn¡¯t too great. I guess her family didn¡¯t support her. But to leave that behind and come here? To a place predisposed to hate her? That¡¯s¡­that¡¯s kind of crazy, right?


    ¡°Anyway¡­I told her I was too afraid to do anything like that myself. I¡¯ve always stayed close to home. She asked what I was so afraid of and¡­well, I told her I was afraid of her kindred. We¡¯re all afraid. But she looked so sad¡­like she was doomed to be alone forever.


    ¡°I guess she felt abandoned by her own and rejected by the rest of the world. She even cried. I believed her tears were true. Her wind was warm. I don¡¯t think she was lying. Her sorrow was too deep to be an act. I decided to accept her for who she was. That¡¯s when Valyr¨ªa came.


    ¡°True to her role, she defended me from what she saw as a threat. I guess most would agree. I worried about that same thing, at first. But like Gylda said¡­I listened to what she had to say and learned more about her before assuming things. Her name is ?rna, by the way.


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    ¡°She was terrified. She didn¡¯t try to fight. I thought she stayed true to her aura the whole time. So I¡­I tried to stop Valyr¨ªa from hurting her. That¡¯s when¡­that¡¯s when ?rna ran away. Valyr¨ªa went after her, but¡­B?olnos stopped her. I¡¯m glad he did, too. Valyr¨ªa was prepared to kill her. But her wind was just so warm. She wasn¡¯t there to harm us. If soldiers from Pelren have come here¡­I don¡¯t think she wanted that. If anything, she¡¯s probably running from them, too.¡±


    F?or sighed, feeling relief and exhaustion hit him as he finished; but when he finally looked up¡ª


    ¡°Friend or foe,¡± a voice proclaimed. ¡°I¡¯m sure she led them here.¡±


    ¡ªall he saw were furrowed brows.


    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s a fugitive,¡± another pondered.


    ¡°We should find her, capture her, and hand her over!¡±


    ¡°Maybe we can use her as a hostage.¡±


    ¡°W-wait,¡± F?or muttered meekly. ¡°Th-that¡¯s not what I said.¡±


    Belor¡¯s gentle hand patted F?or¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Yer right,¡± he said softly. ¡°We knew ya felt that way, but most folk don¡¯t feel tha same.¡±


    ¡°People tend to take pieces of what they¡¯ve heard to reinforce what they already assume is true,¡± H¨¢lin added. ¡°It¡¯s hard to change someone¡¯s mind, especially when they¡¯re afraid.¡±


    ¡°So don¡¯ take it personal, my boy,¡± ?olorn said. ¡°Ya did what yer heart told ya ta do. Ya defended the girl. Ya gave ¡®er yer best. Now we jus¡¯ hafta vote an¡¯ see what the assembly decides ta do next.¡±


    As if on cue, B?olnos calmed the clamor and moved the assembly to their first vote.


    ¡°Now that you have all heard from our primary witness, let us decide what must be done henceforth. Shall we capture the young Eld¨¢sr¡ª?rna¡ªto use as a hostage for negotiations; or shall we let her roam free, offering shelter from the enemy and perhaps making an ally of her?¡±


    Hearing B?olnos state their options like that made F?or feel like a fool. The choice was obvious. Painfully so. Who in their right mind would let someone they don¡¯t know or trust run around their home unsupervised?


    ¡°Those who say we capture her, bring a pinecone to Rog¨¢los,¡± R?¨¢lnos spoke. ¡°And those who wish to befriend her, bring the same to B?olnos.¡±


    Thus the assembly began to move, but before F?or and his companions joined them¡­


    ¡°Friends,¡± he said, ¡°I appreciate your support, but please¡­vote your conscious. I won¡¯t hold it against you. I promise.¡±


    They hesitated¡­but knowing that F?or was sincere, they reluctantly turned away from him.


    ¡°We don¡¯t mean ¡®er any harm,¡± ?olorn said.


    ¡°But this is tha safest choice for G?lenor,¡± Belor finished.


    ¡°Sorry F?or,¡± H¨¢lin added.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I understand.¡±


    And so F?or went to B?olnos alone.


    ¡°You did well,¡± B?olnos told him when he arrived. ¡°You may be here alone, but it takes a tremendous amount of courage to be yourself in front of a group so large. I am proud of you.¡±


    ¡°Th-thank you,¡± F?or managed as he placed his pinecone before the great bear. ¡°And¡­thank you for giving ?rna this chance.¡±


    F?or returned to his spot in the glade, where he remained alone until his friends finally returned.


    ¡°Our apologies,¡± H¨¢lin squeaked. ¡°The line was a bit¡­long.¡±


    F?or managed a strained smile.


    After an awkward silence¡­


    ¡°I shall now declare the results,¡± R?¨¢lnos announced.


    ¡°Aside from two votes¡­¡±


    ¡°Two?¡± F?or wondered aloud. ¡°But I thought¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­the vast majority gathered here today has decided¡­¡±


    F?or looked around to see if he could find who voted with him.


    ¡°¡­that we shall capture the Eld¨¢sr.¡±


    He caught a glimpse of Gylda speaking with B?olnos before the assembly erupted with cheer.

 Wandering and Woe (1)

    F?or didn¡¯t go home after leaving the assembly.


    Instead, he found himself lost in a very dark stretch of the grove.


    "What am I doing?" he lamented.


    Lua, who was nearly half radiant, was hidden behind the dense foliage above. But even so, F?or was traveling through a trench of gnarled roots, so it was more accurate to say that he was wandering through a long, den-like tunnel of earth and wood. He could feel the pulsing of f?ol all around him, winding its way to the great river G?lnol?a¡ªbut little else offered him guidance.


    Or so he assumed.


    For his entire journey thus far, which was rather short by most standards, F?or¡¯s feet dragged as his heart raced. The grove he so loved seemed suddenly strange and foreign, distorted by his anxiety to appear as a nightmarish landscape devoid of light and life. It had only been a handful of hours since he took that sudden turn westward on his way home, veering off his usual path. He regretted it, but couldn''t stop. He complained, but went on. He was terribly underprepared and unqualified...


    "But who else would go?"


    Berating himself in the darkness, he questioned his choices for the sixth or seventh time. B?olnos and Gylda would have been better suited for this sort of thing, but they were both too important to defy the decision of the assembly. No one would suspect F?or¡ªpoor, timid F?or¡ªto do such a stupid, daring thing. Right?


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d come around,¡± a voice intruded.


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    F?or nearly merged with the roots around him as two rose-gold eyes appeared within the darkness before him. Glowing drops of dew¡ª?olf?¨¢r¡ªthen rose from the earth around him, illuminating the den-like trench as if it were the night sky unveiled. There, bathed in their ethereal f?ol-hued light, stood a great raccoon-dog that seemed to fade back into the shadows surrounding them. It was T¨¢lnos, one of the great ?olf?¨¢nor¨ª protecting G?lenor.


    ¡°Y-you¡­knew?¡± F?or managed, trembling.


    ¡°Oh yes,¡± T¨¢lnos confirmed, grinning toothily. ¡°Gylthra has always had Her winds wrapped around you. Yes, yes¡­veeery interesting. You are indeed the last one I expected to betraaay the assembly.¡±


    F?or gulped. That didn¡¯t sound very good.


    "I-I didn''t betray anyone. I-I''m...I''m just out for a stro¡ª"


    ¡°And yet,¡± T¨¢lnos played, ¡°you¡¯re the ooonly one I suspected. Funny, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    F?or stiffened as T¨¢lnos wrapped his illuminated yet shadowy form around him.


    ¡°You see, I¡¯ve been waiting,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± F?or squeaked, eyes closed tightly. "I took a wrong turn. I should have gone straight home. I...I don''t know...I''m s-sorry."


    ¡°Sooorry?¡± T¨¢lnos mocked, frowning. ¡°Well that¡¯s no good. No good at all. No, no, no.¡±


    His eyes whipped westward down the gnarled path...


    And then he disappeared.


    F?or remained frozen as he waited for T¨¢lnos to reappear, but nothing happened; and soon the glowing, drop-like ?olf?¨¢r receded into the soil along with him, leaving F?or alone in darkness once more. After a stifling moment in that silence, F?or finally peeled himself away from the earthen wall. He looked westward, then back the way he came, then westward again.


    Perhaps I should turn around, he thought to himself, dejected. If I go home now¡­


    But just as he considered giving up on his quest, a warmer rose-gold glow appeared in the distance. It seemed to emanate from a paper lantern held by a cloaked figure that was slowly walking towards him. F?or squinted as they drew near, but their face was veiled by a hood. He wanted to run, but fear rooted his feet in place. When the lantern¡¯s light reached F?or, the figure stopped. They grabbed their hood as he quivered, pulling it down to reveal¡­


    ¡°?rna?!¡±

 Wandering and Woe (2)

    t was her. The swirls of gold and pink light in her eyes, the dawn-colored hair (now decorated with local flora), and the warm aura¡­all of it was the same. F?or could hardly believe it. To think his search would be so short.


    She returned his surprised expression with a soft, sorrowful look.


    ¡°I-I was looking for you,¡± he blurted, breaking the silence. ¡°A lot has happened since you left and, uh, I was¡­I was kind of worried, actually. I d-don¡¯t know why, but¡­it¡¯s been bothering me. You running off, Valyr¨ªa chasing after you¡­I thought you¡¯d be slain. Everyone told me not to concern myself with you, but¡­I couldn¡¯t help it. I really don¡¯t know why. Is it really that strange? I mean¡­you¡¯ve been so kind and¡­and you¡¯ve been through so much¡­it just seems wrong. I tried to tell everyone, too¡­but they didn¡¯t listen. They think you¡¯re a spy or a fugitive¡­and maybe they¡¯re right, but¡­I think they¡¯re wrong. Their assumptions seem logical, I guess, but they just feel¡­wrong. I don¡¯t know¡­I can¡¯t explain it, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, F?or,¡± she interjected. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°F-for what?¡±


    ¡°For defending me,¡± she explained. ¡°At the assembly and from Valyr¨ªa¡¯s blade. So¡­thank you. If you hadn¡¯t done that¡­I¡­I¡¯m not sure what I would¡¯ve done.¡±


    ¡°Oh, th-that¡¯s right,¡± he stammered. ¡°My hand moved without thinking. It was¡­the right thing to do.¡±


    ?rna smiled, her sorrow more evident.


    ¡°Do you really mean that?¡± she pressed. ¡°You don¡¯t have doubts about helping a stranger from a foreign land instead of your own foster-sister?¡±


    That caught F?or off guard. Her words broke through his (admittedly meager) defenses, piercing him right where he was already wounded. It was obvious from his blabbering speech just a moment ago that he had doubts. He knew he had them, too, but her words forced him to acknowledge them. Hearing her of all people question him for believing her¡­


    ¡°I just¡­find it hard to believe,¡± she continued. ¡°I want to trust you. I really do. But¡­how can I?¡±


    His throat dried up. How could he not consider her side of things? Here he was trying to help her, but¡­was that what she even wanted? He was just a stranger she happened to run into. What made him so special? Somewhere inside his timid shell was a seed of self-righteousness, an ego that convinced him he was necessary, that she needed him. The thought made him sick. He hated and distrusted that part of himself.


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    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± ?rna concluded, sensing his struggle. ¡°I just wanted to thank you before it was too late. So¡­thank you. Your kindness meant a lot. I¡¯ll never forget it.¡±


    She turned to leave.


    ¡°O-of course I¡¯ve had doubts,¡± F?or muttered, fists clenched in frustration. ¡°Of course I¡¯ve doubted helping you and constantly worrying about you since we parted. I¡¯ve felt foolish, frustrated, anxious¡­all while my friends and family scold me for being too sympathetic. I mean, how can I trust you? The whole world tells me to reject you, to avoid you at all costs, and yet¡­¡±


    She stopped and turned, seeing streams running down his cheeks.


    ¡°Maybe¡­maybe I¡¯ve just been indulging my ego this whole time, because I don¡¯t understand why I¡¯d want to help a stranger so much otherwise. It doesn¡¯t make sense any other way, right? It really doesn¡¯t. This agony I¡¯ve been feeling¡­¡±


    He held a hand to his chest and took a deep breath.


    ¡°I¡­want to help you. I don¡¯t know why, and perhaps you don¡¯t even want it¡­but ever since you came along my soul has been a storm. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s just a self-serving part of myself seeking¡­something. But, at the same time¡­I hope it isn¡¯t. I want to believe that I¡¯m guided by something else, something genuine¡­something beyond myself.¡±


    F?or then looked straight into ?rna¡¯s eyes¡ªnot just a glance, as he had done before, but a deep, meaningful look straight into her soul.


    And that¡¯s when he felt something was awry.


    Her eyes were the right color, but¡­something was missing. The part of her that seemed strangely familiar to him, as if he¡¯d known her longer than his lifetime¡­was gone.


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re¡­you¡¯re not¡­,¡± he struggled to speak, brows furrowed as he stepped back.


    A grin distorted ?rna¡¯s face, curling with glee before her entire form melted into the shadows.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± came a voice. ¡°Veeery interesting.¡±


    And then he was alone in the darkness once more.


    Emotionally exhausted, F?or collapsed, seeking refuge in the earth. Eventually, small f?ol-colored beads seeped out of the soil to comfort him¡ª?olf?¨¢r swirling around him like rain that refuses to fall. He knew who was behind that illusion of ?rna, but that didn¡¯t make it any easier to recover. He sat for a while, watching the land-spirits dance while he reflected on his words and feelings.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t actually say that stuff to her,¡± he chuckled. ¡°She¡¯d probably think I¡¯m crazy, if not a creep.¡±


    He looked up, through the gnarled roots and distant foliage. A few stars twinkled through the branches that swayed in the wind.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t get it,¡± he wondered, ¡°but I can¡¯t help it. Even if she doesn¡¯t need me¡­I have to go.¡±


    It was then that an ethereal squirrel appeared, green of hue. F?or had heard stories of such spirits before, but had never seen one himself. It was a gylf?a, a spirit said to weave the winds of fate for Gylthra. It hopped down the den-like path before stopping, as if waiting for him to follow.

 Wandering and Woe (3)

    F?or was¡­reluctant. His relationship with spirits ran deep, but he still felt slighted after that illusion. He was all the more frustrated upon realizing that, despite dealing with a fake, the encounter hardened his resolve and gave him a crumb of confidence. So, with a silly stomp of stubbornness, he followed the ethereal spirit.


    Though f?¨¢r are fickle, his decision proved to be wise. G?lenor was, after all, more densely covered in root and vine those days. Even the most experienced travelers expected their journeys from G?lnos to the Meadow of Myr¨¢s to last two weeks, even when following the often-tumultuous G?lnol?a. F?or was certainly not an experienced traveler. Without a guide, he would probably¡­be lost forever.


    Especially since he had no clue where ?rna went.


    To be honest, this whole journey was fraught from the start. He set out on a whim, hardly thinking it through. How in ¨¢nor was he going to find a single Eld¨¢sr in such a massive grove? He of all people? G?lenor¡¯s most famous shut-in? It was¡­kind of stupid.


    That said, he had nothing to lose by putting his faith in the winds of fate Herself.


    But even with a gylf?a for a guide, it took him six days to travel twenty leagues¡ªa distance most could cover (with the same conditions) in three. For an exhausted F?or, unaccustomed to sustained physical labor, that alone was an incredible act of mithra.


    Thankfully, those days were quite boring for him; no unsettling illusions haunted him, nor did any strange monsters attack him. He was, after all, still terrified of the world beyond his bubble. What surprised him most of all, though, was the fact that T¨¢lnos never reappeared. After encountering him, F?or expected the ?olf?¨¢nor¨ª to put an end to his insane quest that technically started with betrayal¡ªan end that part of him probably still wished for (were it not for the fear of retribution).


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    But it really was strange. How had he gone so far without anyone stopping him? Were the grove¡¯s sentries too busy looking westward, letting him wander freely unbeknown to all, save T¨¢lnos? Or was this the same strange luck that let ?rna reach him in his distant glade?


    Regardless of those lingering concerns, however, he still reached the Falls of Mithraf?ol without fail.


    He had no clue just how special that place was.


    There the G?lnol?a, flowing eastward from the roots of Myr¨¢s, cascaded down a rocky slope in a stunning display. Naturally, he was enamored by its beauty. Especially at dawn, the f?ol-rich waters sparkled with golden glimmers as it leapt from stone to stream. Bears and salmon gathered there (though admittedly not on the best of terms) while a vast array of flowering herbs thrived in every crevice that was blessed by the life-giving spray.


    Naturally, he was enamored by its beauty. The soft light of dawn illuminated the falls, which in turn veiled the surrounding grove in a mist of gold, pink, and glimmering green. The beauty he did not see, however, was deep beneath his feet; for here the roots of Myr¨¢s and G?lnos mingled, bringing west and east together as one.


    Were it not for the fact that his journey was about to get much, much more difficult because of it, F?or would have considered it paradise. (It was also too far from home.) Instead, it would become his first test from ?olna; for here the land rose steeply, then gradually, as the valley rose to meet the lofty Meadow of Myr¨¢s further west. In other words¡­the next 50-or-so leagues were all uphill.


    F?or sighed deeply, realizing he had to climb now.


    ¡°No way¡­¡±


    He side-eyed his spirit-squirrel guide, who scurried effortlessly up the rocky falls.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    Had ?rna really gone this way?

 Wandering and Woe (4)

    An entire day.


    That¡¯s how long it took for F?or to climb the Falls of Mithraf?ol.


    Though the image of him standing victoriously above the valley would have been ideal, the truth was¡­quite different.


    He was prostrated on the ground, gasping for air like a fish out of water.


    He eventually flipped over, facing the sky above. The soft pink and orange hue of dawn was now a distant memory as the deep red and purple veil of dusk made way for the stars. It wouldn¡¯t be long before Lua rose in the east, offering light back to Eld¨¢s before sharing it with R?¨¢lna through the night.


    ¡°This¡­is going¡­to take¡­forever¡­¡±


    Crawling his way to a nearby stone, he managed to sit and slump as he looked back beyond the falls. A great shadow stretched over the trees below, shrouding them in its cold embrace. The hopeless part of him yearned for it, especially as his eyes continued to wander eastward to where he assumed his home would be.


    It was so far away.


    The fire driving him towards ?rna was now a wavering flame, the warmth therefrom dwindling in the coolness of his growing despair.


    But before the cold could reach his heart, he considered how ?rna must be feeling, alone in a hostile land. While it was true that F?or never wandered far, G?lenor was still his home. Despite defying the will of the assembly, this land and its people would still welcome him over her. His empathy, the feeling of sorrow beyond his own, helped rekindle his dwindling spirit.


    There was something he could still do.


    He could get up.


    He could go on.


    ¡°But first¡­¡±


    He pulled a pouch off his belt and opened it up, revealing seeds, nuts, and berries that he had been gathering along the way.


    ¡°Dinner.¡±


    And naturally, beady eyes watched him as he ate.


    ¡°Do spirits like you even eat?¡± F?or huffed as he tossed a river-berry to the gylf?a begging him for food.


    They didn¡¯t need to eat, of course, but the squirrel-shaped spirit nevertheless felt left out without something to hold. Thus they sat together, munching and mulling things over before beginning the next part of their journey together. That is, until¡ª


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    Snap!


    Craaaack!


    Whip!


    ¡ªtheir peace was disturbed by the sound of snapping twigs and bending branches upriver. F?or jolted, twisting around to look behind him.


    Ching, chiiing.


    Hoooofffff.


    ¡°Eeeasy, boy. Easy.¡±


    Voices?! F?or thought. So far, he hadn¡¯t run into a single (non-spirit) soul since leaving the assembly¡ªa fact he found¡­unsettling. Though antisocial by nature, he had still hoped to find people along the way to ask for clues, if nothing else. Comfier shelter would have been nice, too. Night was coming up quickly, after all.


    Maybe I can finally get some help¡­and a proper rest.


    The spirit-squirrel squeaked frantically, drawing his attention.


    Naive! Fool! Caution!


    That¡¯s how he interpreted the behavior, and rightly so. Reprimanding himself for not learning his lesson after T¨¢lnos¡¯ meddling, F?or frantically looked around for a place to take cover. He couldn¡¯t afford to let his guard down.


    It was a risk, but the best place he could find was a thicket just upriver from where he had been sitting. Despite being in the same direction as the sounds, he spotted a massive, moss-covered trunk sprouting with mushrooms there. It had fallen to its side and smelled like damp earth, but that was a source of comfort for him. Tucking himself inside, he watched through gaps in the wood and foliage to see who (or what) would come.


    ¡°They¡¯re watching us, but haven¡¯t made a single move.¡±


    ¡°I know. It¡¯s infuriating.¡±


    ¡°I was prepared to fight, but this? This is exhausting.¡±


    ¡°How many days have we been going now? Ten? Thirteen? I can¡¯t remember.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather they confront us already. How far must we go?¡±


    ¡°Stop complaining.¡±


    Their armor gleamed through the grove as Eld¨¢s bestowed Her final blessing for the day¡ªbut upon them, marching through G?lenor with sword and spear, Her light seemed fell not fair; for they bore not art nor poetry, but weapons of war and plunder. Hence the hyl?a of light was, in fact, distraught as the company before him distorted Her blessing to an ill end.


    ¡°Baiting them into ambushing us is secondary. Don¡¯t forget that.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir! Of course, sir!¡±


    It didn¡¯t make sense, but F?or didn¡¯t bother to understand. His shock and awe was more than enough to occupy him. Whether this troop from Pelr¨ªa was overly confident or completely insane was, for him, not a concern. The thing bothering him most was¡­


    That one. His aura. It¡¯s¡­almost like ?rna¡¯s.


    Leading the troop with a white horse in tow was an Eld¨¢sr more splendid than the rest. He wore silver-blue armor made from a metal that F?or had no chance of knowing to be cold-iron, a rare ore found only at the peaks of mountains surrounding the Meadow of Myr¨¢s; and indeed, embossed upon his breastplate was Myr¨¢s Herself.


    It was his wind that F?or questioned.


    But¡­why is it so cold?


    A chill ran down his spine as he beheld the self-made splendor of that company. How could a troop so fair, bathed in the blessings of light, be foul? Was it not a similar light that opened his eyes to the warmth of the world beyond? Perhaps these folk were like ?rna. Perhaps their wind was only cold from suffering, just as F?or had himself to make it this far. Perhaps, then, they could be reasoned with. Perhaps they could even help him find ?rna.


    Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps¡ª


    Before he knew it, he rose to his feet.


    His gylf?a guide vanished.


    The wind shifted.


    There was no going back now.

 Wandering and Woe (5)

    ¡ªNgh!


    Instant regret.


    Was this how ?rna felt when Valyr¨ªa held a blade to her neck? Or was this somehow worse because there were several more blades involved in this scenario? Did it really matter when, regardless of numbers, one¡¯s life was on the line either way?


    Valyr¨ªa was right, though.


    F?or was good-natured to a fault.


    It was strange. It didn¡¯t make sense at all. After all, he was probably the most terrified person at the assembly when they declared that soldiers from Pelr¨ªa had been spotted in G?lenor. Why, then, would he reveal himself to his greatest fear with the naive hope that they might help him? That their cold aura was merely from suffering, not malice?


    It was noble, but stupid. Very stupid.


    If given the chance, Valyr¨ªa would have scolded him on the spot. But¡­F?or was not so fortunate.


    He was surrounded.


    ¡°Having a hostage might speed things up.¡±


    ¡°Seems rash. Don¡¯t forget, they¡¯ve been watching us.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, could be a trap.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. We can take ¡®em.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s probably just some peasant, though. Who else would be out here in the middle of nowhere looking like¡­that? What kind of leverage would that give us?¡±


    ¡°Good point¡­¡±


    ¡°Definitely a trap.¡±


    While the soldiers debated what to do with their prey (whose fay mood had faded back to frightful shivering), the captain walked up to get a closer look.


    ¡°He¡¯s no peasant.¡±


    The soldiers fell silent as the captain spoke.


    ¡°Strange. So very strange. It¡¯s as if he¡¯s f?ol incarnate. He teems with life and the land-spirits love him. Can¡¯t you feel it, my friends? Even now, they are trying to protect him.¡±


    Most of his companions looked confused, but a few looked down at their feet, eyes widening.


    ¡°They¡¯re¡­heavy.¡±


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    ¡°Yeah, my boots¡­it¡¯s like they¡¯ve been bound.¡±


    ¡°Stuck in mud¡¯s more like it.¡±


    The captain continued to walk around F?or, seemingly unaffected by the same affliction described by his fellows.


    ¡°Are you an ?olf?¨¢nor?¡±


    F?or was taken aback.


    Was this how ?rna felt when he asked her if she was a f?¨¢nor? Uneasy, somewhat flattered, but mostly misunderstood? Either way, he couldn¡¯t answer. He wasn¡¯t as strong-willed as her.


    ¡°No¡­I supposed you couldn¡¯t be. Unless this shadow has shaped a new horror, ?olf?¨¢nor¨ª always appear as the animals they gave life to. You¡¯re abhorrent but no animal.¡±


    He continued to pace around F?or, examining him.


    Ab¡­horrent?


    F?or didn¡¯t understand why the captain was so disgusted with him. He didn¡¯t understand why he called him ¡°f?ol incarnate,¡± either. Both assessments seemed a bit dramatic.


    It wasn¡¯t normal to be born from a berry on a legendary tree, of course¡­but F?or didn¡¯t feel special. Aside from the affection he received from land-spirits, he was ordinary. Pathetically so. His only skills were having a green thumb, cooking delicious food, and worrying about¡­well, everything.


    ¡°¡ª¡±


    ¡°Tie him up.¡±


    With hindered movement, the soldiers pried their feet from the ground and marched toward F?or with menacing eyes. Frustrated and afraid, he felt helpless before them. Running was no longer an option. What else could he do but close his eyes, tightly clasping his hands together, and await the inevitable?


    ¡°¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Thy prayer hast been felt, O child of G?lnos.¡±


    It was a voice as sweet and soothing as honey. He didn¡¯t know who it belonged to, only that it dispelled his dismay and no one else seemed to notice it. And then, as if answering its call¡ª


    ¡ªthe grove sprang to life.


    Pink flowers bloomed upon every bush, roots rose from the earth, and green sprouts grew into vines that wrapped themselves around the feet of F?or¡¯s foes. Some were dragged into the dirt, while others were bound so tightly that they dropped their weapons. Only the captain was unaffected.


    ¡°I¡¯ll say it again¡­¡±


    Rose-gold beads of dewy light swarmed around him, but they seemed afraid to get too close.


    ¡°¡­he¡¯s no simple peasant.¡±


    He waved his hand, swatting the spirits away like flies before curling his fingers into a fist and¡ª


    Thump!


    F?or spun to the earth.


    He tried to get up, but his whole body was trembling. The best he could do was lean on one elbow while holding his other hand to his face. Wiping the corner of his mouth, he noticed it was warm and wet.


    Blood.


    F?or¡¯s vision blurred.


    The captain looked down on him.


    ¡°Disgusting. Even your blood glimmers with the golden hue of f?ol. You truly are shackled to that witch of a goddess.¡±


    He grabbed F?or by his shirt, holding him up like a filthy rag.


    ¡°I¡¯d pity you if you weren¡¯t so pathetic. How could a man be so feeble? To panic as you are after a single punch to the face? You won¡¯t get far in this world like that.¡±


    He swung his arm down, sending F?or to the ground with a thud¡ªbut he didn¡¯t let go. Sighing, he slumped his shoulders and turned his gaze upward to where the first stars were beginning to appear.


    ¡°Freedom lies not in ?olna¡¯s cruel captivity, for only in R?¨¢lna¡¯s garden can we shine as stars. Here we are smothered, striving in vain to return to the lofty heights from which we came. And so that bond shall be broken.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t speaking to F?or, who he deemed helpless beyond saving. Instead, he was reciting the words of a wise philosopher to remind himself what he was fighting for.


    ¡°He may seem useless, but I think he¡¯ll prove to be an excellent hosta¡ª¡±


    As he turned to face his fellows, who were still struggling against their earthy bounds, he saw a great shadow rising with the moon in the east downriver.

 Wandering and Woe (6)

    Lua was in Her full radiance as She rose, greeting Eld¨¢s in the west with all that She could muster, a monthly ritual of love between daughter and mother. Beholding their beauty at the Falls of Mithraf?ol, where the roots of two opposing lands mingle as one, should have been breathtaking and enlightening; but instead, it bathed the scene below in sorrowful irony.


    A monstrous wolf danced upon the G?lnol?a, its lavender eyes once more gleaming with rage as spray glistened in Lua¡¯s silver light with every step. As it drew near, a rider could be seen upon its back holding a spear. It was the queen of the G?lr and the white-wolf ?olf?¨¢nor, both blessed by Lua, charging against the Eld¨¢s-blessed troop of Pelr?an knights. In other words¡­


    ¡­it was Valyr¨ªa and V¨¢rnos.


    At their approach, the captain cast F?or aside, reaching for his blade; and as he drew it from its sheath, another light shone, for it had been forged long ago in the light of dawn.


    But it¡¯s light was now dim.


    Tsk.


    The captain clicked his tongue.


    He knew he¡¯d be at a disadvantage. This entire expedition was the epitome of overconfidence, after all. He knew that. To lead such a small troop straight into the maw of their greatest foe? It didn¡¯t matter that the finest knights were chosen for this task. It was foolish. It was a gamble. It was¡­


    Bring her home.


    ¡­cruel.


    How could he refuse such an order? Made publicly in front of the people of Pelren, no less? When the stakes were so¡­personal? He couldn¡¯t understand the logic behind the king¡¯s decision, but he knew how he felt.


    He felt it too, after all.


    ¡°Alas, the heart mourns anew that which the mind foresaw.¡±


    Silver and gold sparks erupted as Valyr¨ªa¡¯s spear grazed against the captain¡¯s parrying blade, the ferocity of their charge nearly knocking him to the ground. Seizing the momentum, V¨¢rnos whipped his head back and sunk his teeth into the captain¡¯s left shoulder, straight through his cold-iron spaulders as if they were made from wispy bark. The captain responded with a swift swipe from his right hand, taking the tip off of V¨¢rnos¡¯ left ear before Valyr¨ªa jabbed in vain at his breastplate with her spear.


    F?or watched with horror as the battle unfolded more quickly than he could follow.


    The captain¡¯s fellows freed themselves from the earth¡¯s grasp, facing the fell beast before them.


    V¨¢rnos welcomed them with his bloodied maw, defending his daughter as she battled from his back.


    Limbs were lost.


    The soil was soaked.


    Souls returned to the warmth of ?olna¡¯s embrace.


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    Their sorrowful songs echoed through the grove as they went unwillingly to the very place they sought to escape.


    Valyr¨ªa, elated by their elegies, began to best the captain, slipping her spear more and more into the narrow spaces between his armor.


    But she and V¨¢rnos were still outnumbered.


    The best knights of Pelr¨ªa surrounded them, even as their numbers slowly dwindled. She had been rash to run out ahead of the others.


    So rash that she hadn¡¯t even noticed F?or.


    So raged that she saw nothing but her foe.


    And as her situation grew more desperate, so too did her battle frenzy. She grinned with eyes that gleamed with glee, revealing her true form to the captain below¡ªfor she was known in the West as the  Goddess of the Grove, a monster more wicked, they deemed, than the witch who had tamed her people and shackled his own.


    V¨¢rnos howled, resonating with her wild wind as the tides turned once more in their favor.


    Fear devoured the knights of Pelr¨ªa from within. They were indeed the best soldiers ?lthren had ever known, but none of their peers, however great, could compare to the foes they now faced. No amount of training or experience could have prepared them for such a fight.


    For they had just realized that none of their blades had actually caused V¨¢rnos any harm.


    He stood before them, seething with rage, bearing only a single scratch from the captain¡¯s holy blade. Such was the true strength of the ?olf?¨¢nor¨ª, whose forms danced upon the threshold between Ethyr¨ªa, the realm of spirits, and ¨¢nor, the realm of substance. Dwelling there, he could not easily be harmed.


    Some ran.


    Others fell to their knees.


    The rest fought on in vain.


    But regardless, all were soon slain¡­


    ¡­until only the captain remained.


    His weakened blade could reach the ?olf?¨¢nor, but Valyr¨ªa forbade it with her persistent parrying. It was a risk, but, like F?or, he would have to rely on power beyond his own.


    All he did was hold his left hand up.


    No words were spoken. No spell was sung. In fact, it had become eerily quiet. His gesture alone was enough to cause the wind to silently stir with a strange warmth that was neither soothing nor scalding. As it whirled, gaining speed, Valyr¨ªa¡¯s hair whipped wildly and F?or¡¯s fallen hat flew to the river. Even the captain¡¯s own helmet lifted from his head, revealing his dark-brown hair.


    Valyr¨ªa gasped as V¨¢rnos¡¯ eyes widened.


    For an Eld¨¢sr, his hair was almost too dark.


    His pale visage, paired with the fact that silver lights now twinkled all around them, dancing to his command¡ª


    It wasn¡¯t good.


    Understanding the threat before them, V¨¢rnos defied the f?¨¢r gathering around him. Even minor spirits from Ethyr¨ªa held greater authority than he; but nothing, not even the heavens themselves, could stop him from protecting his daughter and the home they loved.


    The spirits scorched him as he passed through their makeshift constellation, sapping his essence one scratch at a time. Silvery-blue flames erupted from his fur wherever they hit, temporarily blinding himself and Valyr¨ªa with their elder light.


    But that didn¡¯t matter.


    The price he paid was little compared to what could have been lost.


    And so, squinting as the light of his granted mithra engulfed his foe, the captain watched as the smoldering maw of his bane clamped down upon his outstretched arm.


    Everything past his elbow was gone.


    The shock and horror of it all nearly defeated him. He had seen and done many fell deeds as a seasoned soldier, but no amount of training can truly prepare a person for such a thing. It was a sign of his strength and experience, however, that he managed to singe his wound with his bright blade. Wincing, he recovered his wits, but¡­


    ¡­he was battered.


    Both his own skill and the spirits of Ethyr¨ªa had failed him. That left only one option.


    He loathed to take it. It was shameful and an even greater risk than his last move. Was he truly valuable enough to make the Goddess of the Grove and the second-eldest ?olf?¨¢nor hold back and hesitate? To grant him safe passage all the way home to Pelren?


    It was the only option left.


    He turned his back on his foes. They began to pursue him as he bent down, grasping for something on the ground with a hand he no longer had. They were about to finish him off when Valyr¨ªa finally noticed.


    But it was too late.


    The captain¡¯s blade was already against his neck.


    ¡°F-F?or?!¡±


    The captain smirked.


    ¡°You¡¯re going¡­to let us¡­leave.¡±

 Gardens and Groves (1)

    ?rna ran, and ran, and ran to nowhere in particular until she fell breathlessly into a bed of flowers. Resigning to her fate, she prepared for the worst¡ªbut no such end came. Her foe was nowhere to be seen nor heard. She curled up among the blooms, afraid to move. All that remained was an eerie silence.


    The late-afternoon light quietly faded as she hid beneath her cloak, desperately trying to blend into the soil beneath her. But for the first time, she cursed the deep-pink hue of her cloak for standing out so much against the greens and purples of the Grove¡¯s natural garden. Indeed, she felt mocked by G?lenor, for the field she found herself in was filled with luamyr.


    She knew nothing about them beyond their purple hue; but that alone was enough to torment her traumatized mind, for they were the same shade of purple as Valyr¨ªa¡¯s eyes. Thus to ?rna, who knew nothing of their calming properties, they seemed instead like countless eyes watching her with silent fury and disdain. The land itself turned against her.


    It wasn¡¯t fair.


    She held nothing but love and admiration for ?olna¡¯s Garden in her heart; she loved the Stars of the Earth far more than those twinkling in R?¨¢lna¡¯s Garden above. G?lenor, the greatest grove in ?lthren, was always idealized in her mind, despite the cruel propaganda spread by her father, as a place where seeds and spirits flourished. That still seemed true, but she was woefully unprepared for the true darkness within its heart: a hatred of her kindred.


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    It really wasn¡¯t fair.


    She wholeheartedly rejected her father¡¯s version of G?lenor. She had always sided her her banished mother, who loved both the land and light. And yet, despite that, she was still punished and blamed for the atrocities and corrupted ideals of her kingdom.


    But the worst injustice of all? She was as unwanted as a weed in both gardens. In Pelr¨ªa, she was ridiculed for holding back the ¡®progress¡¯ of her people in the name of nature¡¯s preservation. In G?lenor, she was rejected as cinder eager to combust into an all-consuming fire bent on clearing the way for the very ¡®progress¡¯ she sought to keep in check.


    It was cruel.


    As such thoughts consumed ?rna¡¯s mind, the light of day faded away. The trauma of dawn was diminishing, but now the stars of night, beloved by her father and people, seemed to peer down upon her with continued, relentless disapproval. The heavens themselves turned against her, as well. And so, succumbing to despair, cold wind slowly crept into ?rna¡¯s wounded heart. Sleep, however restless, was her only solace.


    ¡°I am here.¡±


    A crystal-like voice reached ?rna in her dream. It  was so frail it seemed that it would shatter at any moment; and indeed, it was already splintering.


    ¡°My caress is cold¡­but I am here.¡±


    It came again, heavy with sorrow. Wrapping itself around ?rna like a weighted blanket, her whole world was enveloped in a cold, dense fog. She couldn¡¯t see who the voice belonged to, but she knew it. Deep down, she knew that voice. All life did, and yet¡­


    ¡°I have always been with you. I am always guiding you. And though I have been forgotten, I will always love you.¡±


    A pale, silver-blue light shimmered in that sea of darkness before the dream faded with the fall of a single a tear.

 Gardens and Groves (2)

    Owls and nightingales gathered around ?rna, singing soothing songs as she slept restlessly through the night. They were, of course, supposed to keep watch for strangers like her¡ªbut they liked her, and so chose to watch over her as guardians instead. They knew ?rna¡¯s dream well, for they remember, without fully realizing, the Goddess Who Sleeps and sing for Her, as well.


    Returning from that realm of cold darkness, ?rna saw the waking woods around her with a renewed sense of warmth. Though an icy pang of loneliness lingered in her heart, she once more appreciated the life flourishing around her. Dawn had come again, and she was grateful.


    Sitting up among the flowers, ?rna stretched and paused to appreciate just how fortunate she had been. To fall asleep in the middle of a meadow, completely exposed and defenseless in the heart of a hostile land, and still survive to see the break of day? It was nothing short of a miracle. She put her hands together in prayer, thanking Gylthra for protection; for who else but the Goddess of Guidance¡ªFate Herself¡ªcould protect her so?


    She couldn¡¯t remember her dream.


    Braiding her hair, ?rna considered her next steps. Should she continue running? If so, where should she go? Pelren was a prison, while G?lenor was a grave awaiting. Perhaps she could escape beyond the Eldg¨¢r? If she could just pass over those treacherous mountains¡­perhaps then she could be free.


    Her people, the Eld¨¢sr¨ª, knew little about that land. Only a few stories had made their way back over the Eldg¨¢r, but they belonged to the Lu¨¢lr¨ª and ?olr¨ª. Would she really be welcomed there, then? How far must a person run before they can be themselves? Does such a journey ever end? What if there was nowhere in this world that she belonged?


    She shook her head. Such thoughts weren¡¯t helpful. Remembering the advice of her mother, she returned her mind to the present with her breathing, bringing the winds of the world back into herself before sending them off with the gift of her warmth. The Fabric of the Universe, ethyr, flows through all things, woven together into one great tapestry. Though she is but a single thread, she is nevertheless a part of that greater whole¡ªand therefore belongs.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    ¡°Alright,¡± she proclaimed, clenching her fists with renewed determination.


    If running is too much trouble, then I¡¯ll just stay here. It¡¯s probably not the smartest idea, but¡­


    She looked around, watching the luamyr dance around her innocently.


    I¡¯ll start small. If I can just befriend the land-spirits dwelling here, then perhaps I¡¯ll be able to convince the scary wolf-lady, who¡¯s eyes match these flowers, that I¡¯m not so bad.


    She softly clapped for herself, feeling encouraged by her own internal pep talk.


    Yes, and perhaps I¡¯ll even be able to make a potion! I just need my¡ª


    Looking around, she¡­couldn¡¯t find her satchel.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    That¡¯s right¡­I left it behind.


    Her shoulders slumped.


    Okay, okay. It¡¯s okay. Not a problem.


    She shook her head, slapping her cheeks.


    Start small. If I can just connect with the ?olf?¨¢r, I can make potions here later. Probably.


    She reached out to a flower in front of her, caressing it with warmth and love.


    ¡°Dear spirit of ?olna, please hear my prayer.¡±


    A small drop of golden dew appeared on a single petal, peeking at ?rna with curiosity. Despite her assumption, the spirit she sought was not the flower itself, but rather something dwelling inside of it. The flower was merely the shape it had given itself, a gift of love for ?olna¡ªand, in this case, for Lua as well. To take that gift for another and reshape it for a different purpose¡­that was what ?rna was asking for.


    The ?olf?a therefore eyed her with suspicion. It looked beyond her shape, seeking answers from the seed within her complicated form. After all, it didn¡¯t care what she looked like, nor would it bother to learn a language often used to weave lies out of wind. It only cared about the f?a inside of her, for the soul seldom lies.


    Most ?olf?¨¢r don¡¯t pay any heed to the Eld¨¢sr¨ª, whose inner seeds have grown further and further from ?olna and Her garden in recent years. This has been true of ?rna as well, though not by her choice. Yet, for the first time, this ?olf?adared to look beyond her birth and peer into her pink-hued soul. But before they could connect¡ª


    ¡ªanother soul interrupted their exchange.


    ¡°So this is where you ended up.¡±

 Gardens and Groves (3)

    ?rna caught her breath. The voice sounded softer than she expected, but, in her mind, there was no mistaking it¡ªthat voice belonged to Valyr¨ªa. Trembling, she looked down at her hands. She couldn¡¯t muster the courage to turn around and look into those eyes again. Not yet. Not so soon.


    ¡°Heh.¡±


    All that effort to convince herself to stay and try connecting with the land-spirits here again.


    What a waste.


    What a cruel twist of fate.


    She should have run, after all.


    ¡°To end up here of all places,¡± the voice chuckled.


    ?rna still couldn¡¯t bring herself to turn around. Her entire body tensed as she gripped her hands together in a tight knot. It was a hopeless prayer.


    ¡°This is where my mother came to sing, long ago,¡± the voice continued. ¡°Her songs were inspirational, but I loved her lullabies the most. Nothing in this world was more soothing, not even Lua¡¯s light. My sister and I miss her dearly.¡±


    Ah, so that¡¯s it. ?rna thought. Her mother must have been killed by an Eld¨¢sr. That would explain why Valyr¨ªa¡¯s rage felt so personal. But if that¡¯s true¡­why does her voice seem so fragile now? Shouldn¡¯t she be seething that I¡¯ve sullied their sacred place? She¡¯s too calm.


    That seemed more dangerous than anything.


    A calm rage. Nothing is more perilous. Just that realization caused every instinct within ?rna to scream run. But that tension continued to build without release. She was frozen with fear.


    Her foe took a step forward.


    ?rna winced.


    ¡°You poor flower.¡±


    There was no trace of mockery there. Surprised by the sudden sympathy, ?rna almost turned around. But it took all her strength just to look to the side and mutter.


    ¡°¡­f-flower?¡±


    ¡°Is it so strange to be called a flower? That is what you look like to me, wilting in this meadow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­just a cinder. I can¡¯t be compared to¡ª¡±


    ¡°If you came here to start a fire, you wouldn¡¯t be reaching out such a pleading, desperate hand to the spirits of this land.¡±


    ¡°¡ª?!¡±


    ?rna whipped around.


    Standing before her was not Valyr¨ªa, but a gentle Lu¨¢lr in a plain, gray dress. Her lavender eyes glistened with empathetic tears. She held something in her hands, but it was hidden behind her back as she looked straight into ?rna¡¯s widened eyes.


    ¡°My sister was too harsh on you.¡±


    Her voice was even softer than before as she knelt down among the flowers, putting herself on the same level as ?rna, who recoiled slightly.


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    ?rna blinked and furrowed her brows.


    ¡°I wanted to judge your wind for myself.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°My sister thinks we¡¯re naive, and perhaps she¡¯s right. Her instincts are sharp, but she lost faith in Gylthra¡¯s winds long ago. I prefer to give people a chance, no matter where they come from. That may indeed expose us to greater hardship, but I don¡¯t want to water a seed that I regret seeing take root in others. I just can¡¯t bring myself to blindly distrust others simply because of their birthplace or blessings.¡±


    ?rna remained silent and uneasy.


    ¡°As a token of my goodwill, I brought this.¡±


    From behind her back, she revealed a satchel¡ªthe very same that ?rna had dropped as she fled.


    ¡°M-my satchel?¡±


    The strange Lu¨¢lr bowed her head and handed the satchel over to ?rna, who carefully grabbed it.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin anew, shall we? My name is Gylda. I¡¯m the elder daughter of L?ra. Valyr¨ªa is my younger sister. We have different fathers.¡±


    As she introduced herself, she humbly bowed and placed a hand over her breast in a gesture of respect and sincerity. ?rna was taken aback by this unexpected yet familiar etiquette.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m ?rna, the eldest daughter of¡­¡±


    She hesitated.


    ¡°¡­of El?a.¡±


    ¡°El?a,¡± Gylda repeated. ¡°The name seems familiar to me, but I¡¯d have to ask R?¨¢lnos to remind me.¡±


    ¡°R?¨¢lnos?¡± ?rna wondered. ¡°Do you mean R?¨¢ln¨¢s, the ¨¢nor-blind owl?¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right,¡± she replied with a smile. ¡°I forgot your folk use slightly different honorifics for the ?olf?¨¢nor¨ª. Yes, I believe he¡¯s the same. He used to dwell both here and in the gilded, birch-filled grove of ?lthranor, so perhaps you¡¯ve even met him?¡±


    ¡°Oh no, I¡¯ve never had that pleasure. My mother has, though¡­¡±


    That piqued Gylda¡¯s curiosity, but, out of consideration for ?rna¡¯s growing discomfort, she decided not to pry any further.


    ¡°Well, ?rna¡­you can probably guess that your arrival has caused quite a stir in this land.¡±


    ?rna¡¯s eyes cast downward.


    ¡°But for now, Valyr¨ªa has been ordered not to harm you.¡±


    ¡°¡ª?!¡±


    ¡°She would have ignored that command,  though, had it not been for the news that came from the west yesterday evening. Indeed, on the same day you revealed yourself, more wind from your land rustled the leaves and needles of our trees.¡±


    ?rna¡¯s eyes widened once more, but it was clear that fear and confusion filled them¡ªthat much Gylda could glean.


    ¡°Your position here is therefore perilous. You are, by orders of our chosen lord, a prisoner under parole. Valyr¨ªa may be away, but many others will be watching in her stead. Now that your presence is known to this Grove, it will prove difficult to hide. The mercy that stays their hands is temporary and fragile. Tensions are quite high, as you likely know.¡±


    ?rna looked down and nodded grimly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone else to find you until judgement is passed, lest they force you to speak before the entire assembly. That would be too great a risk for your life, for it would kindle too much hatred, regardless of what you say.¡±


    ¡°Th-then¡­what can I do?¡± ?rna pleaded.


    Gylda studied her carefully before replying.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to ask the land-spirits to help you.¡±


    A short gasp escaped ?rna.


    ¡°They may only do so reluctantly, but perhaps it can also be a chance for you to court their favor. But you must be content with dwelling in a den and relying upon small animals to bring you food. You mustn¡¯t move. Will you be able to trust our land with your life?¡±


    ?rna hesitated, for she was afraid and still unsure that Gylda could actually be trusted. But¡­what choice did she have?


    ¡°It¡¯s very selfish of me to expect so much from strangers, but please¡­¡±


    ?rna bowed low, putting her forehead and hands upon the earth below.


    ¡°¡­I humbly ask that you treat me well, for my life is in your hands. This and all else I give to your care.¡±


    Her words were well-woven, sewn together as her upbringing instructed. But that hardly mattered, for words were often false and filled with fake flattery. This the spirits of old knew better than any other.


    Hence they knew ?rna truly meant them.


    Responding to her plea (at the request of their beloved Lady Gylda), land-spirits gradually appeared around ?rna as dewy drops of golden light.


    ¡°They shall guide you to a safe place until our assembly ends. But I should warn you now that little warmth awaits your name there. Only one person, I fear, will speak up for you.¡±


    ¡°Will that one be¡­you?¡±


    Her voice was desperate, as one deeply wounded from despair. But, even so¡­


    ¡°That role is for another.¡±


    Her fragile hope was swiftly crushed.


    Poor flower, indeed, Gylda sympathized.


    ¡°For some reason, F?or hasn¡¯t stopped worrying about you.¡±


    ¡°¡ª!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve urged his friends to go speak with him, but I have a feeling, after meeting you, that they won¡¯t be able to change his heart.¡±


    She smiled again and began to turn away.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll meet again, sweet flower.¡±

 Gardens and Groves (4)

    The following five days passed strangely for ?rna. Whenever her stomach rumbled, squirrels arrived bearing seeds, nuts, and berries. Whenever she shivered from the cold of fog and dew, foxes and raccoons came to share their sheddings. And whenever she felt lonely, birds came to sing songs with her. Their kindness, though bought with Gylda¡¯s reputation, filled her heart with love and humility.


    That¡¯s not to say that she was without worry, however, for she also spent those days fretting over the news that had come from the west. What could be so urgent that Valyr¨ªa was pulled from her prey? What else¡­but soldiers. Faced with that likely truth, she hoped it was at least limited to a ¡®normal¡¯ troop, because if her brother had been sent after her¡­


    She shuddered at the thought.


    Her brother was, quite literally, the star of her people. He had been shaped to their father¡¯s wishes¡ªunlike ?rna, who stubbornly took after her mother. Out of all five children, she alone had a different mother from the rest; and it was she alone who felt out of place.


    Now she feared that her family strife was seeping into G?lenor. If so, she deserved the cruel, inevitable fate coming from the assembly Gylda spoke of. If her fears were true, then she wasn¡¯t innocent. Whether she meant it or not, she led them here.


    So it was that self-loathing gnawed at ?rna¡¯s soul for the days leading up to the assembly, which passed as has been told; and the silence of that day, when all the folk of G?lenor had gone to gather beneath G?lnos, made her anxiety all the greater.


    It was night before ?rna heard any sign of life. Peering timidly out from her den, she squinted to see who or what was approaching. Would she be captured? Questioned? Enslaved? Killed? All of the above in that order? Her mind swirled franticly with panicked thoughts until finally she saw a pair of green eyes gleaming back at her.


    They seemed worn, aged beyond counted years; and they belonged, of course, to a hoary old bear that sometimes seemed more like a mountain of moving moss. He stood solemnly amid the luamyr in the moonlight.


    ¡°Little herb,¡± he spoke softly, ¡°Your judgment has been passed. Our folk have decided to make you our hostage to negotiate with the enemy. Only two voted against it.¡±


    ¡°T-two?¡± ?rna questioned with hoarse wonder. ¡°That¡¯s twice as much as I had hoped for¡­and twice as much as I deserved.¡±


    She laid her head upon her arms, slumping sadly.


    ¡°Was one¡­F?or?¡± She finally asked, curiosity getting the better of her.


    ¡°Oh yes,¡± B?olnos replied, ¡°and he gave us quite the speech, too. It was a jumbled mess of emotional arguments, but he certainly spoke from his heart of hearts.¡±


    ?rna smiled softly, feeling as though she may have found a good friend, after all.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to get to know him better, if I can,¡± she wished. ¡°But even then, he was only able to win one more over? Your folk seem headstrong.¡±


    ¡°As impassioned as it was,¡± B?olnos laughed bitterly, ¡°it could hardly have been said to do more than give those voting against you a guilty tug in their hearts. Nay, Gylda was the other who voted in your favor, though her people know it not.¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    Warmth filled ?rna¡¯s heart once more, even as cold despair swirled around her from the outside.


    ¡°Alright,¡± she proclaimed, standing up and brushing off her soil-sullied dress. ¡°Take me away.¡±


    B?olnos blinked. Even in the dark of night, with only patchy moonlight, his astonishment was impossible to miss.


    ¡°Seldom am I surprised in my ancient age, dear herb, but I was going to ask if you wanted a chance to escape.¡±


    ?rna started at him, mouth agape, with shock of her own; but she soon steeled herself and pressed on.


    ¡°And why would the so-called lord of this land defy his own assembly? The will of his own people?¡±


    ¡°And to be scolded, no less,¡± B?olnos laughed from his belly. ¡°You¡¯re right, of course. My faith in your warm, gentle wind had, perhaps, blinded me. You see, I sense that your star-bound soul yearns desperately for the soil below, to dance with the spirits of the earth just as ¨¢rent¨¢s, who forsook the heavens entirely, had long ago ¡®ere your kind came to be. Such a soul means no harm here. Indeed, I daresay that you would willingly help us, if we merely asked.¡±


    ?rna fell silent, troubled then by many things. Would she help them against her own people? Was her love of the land so deep? She wasn¡¯t sure. She wasn¡¯t ready to face those questions. She was still simply running.


    But that would come to an end now, whether she liked it or not.


    ¡°Thank you kindly,¡± she curtsied. ¡°To be compared to the protector of my people, ¨¢rent¨¢s Herself, is a high honor. I am hardly as bright and beautiful as She, but I accept the warmth of your words nonetheless.¡±


    B?olnos bowed his head while studying her carefully.


    ¡°Little herb, I have but one question before I leave you to enjoy your last night of freedom however it would please you.¡±


    ?rna stood with clasped hands, waiting.


    ¡°You are a princess from Pelren, are you not?¡±


    Cold gripped her heart.


    That was a question she wished to avoid even more than where her loyalties may lay. Her position, upbringing, home¡­they were the reasons why she ran, the roots of her anxiety and inner turmoil.


    ¡°I can sense your discomfort, but it will come up. It pains me to put it this way, but your value as a hostage depends upon it. But it is plain to those of us who have interacted with you, chiefly myself and Gylda, that your attire and mannerisms bear the weight of aristocracy.¡±


    ?rna bit her lip. Why was it so painfully hard to erase an identity that was never wanted to begin with?


    ¡°Yes,¡± she finally conceded. ¡°I am the eldest daughter of H?¨¢na-El?a, daughter of Eld-¨¢ln?a of Eldanor, and¡­¡±


    She hesitated.


    ¡°¡­and ¨¢sa-?lynor, King of Pelr¨ªa.¡±


    B?olnos¡¯ eyes widened.


    ¡°Then you are indeed the brightest jewel of the west, most precious among the Eld¨¢sr¨ª.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± ?rna shook her head slowly. ¡°That title belongs to my brother. I¡¯m my father¡¯s greatest shame.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± B?olnos acquiesced, ¡°then perhaps I should consider you their sweetest flower, instead.¡±


    ¡°If you must,¡± ?rna said with blushed cheeks, ¡°though they hardly admire those stars anymore.¡±


    ¡°Indeed not,¡± B?olnos agreed, ¡°and from that lost love our woe has been wrought.¡±


    A heavy silence dwelled between them.


    ¡°D-do,¡± ?rna started. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll be treated well?¡±


    ¡°Ah, you needn¡¯t worry about that. Gylda herself agreed to hold you once you are found. You will be in her personal care.¡±


    ?rna sighed with relief. She hardly knew Gylda, of course, but their short exchange was pleasant. Just as she had felt drawn to F?or, she felt as if Gylda were a childhood friend or even a sister.


    ¡°You treat me too well,¡± ?rna managed. ¡°In that case, I go even more willing than before. I don¡¯t need another night of freedom here in this den, though the spirits and animals here have also treated me too well. My situation is far from ideal, but I can see that my fortunate has been greater than I know.¡±


    ?rna bowed deeply.


    ¡°To have the most precious princess of Pelren bow to me so,¡± B?olnos awed. ¡°I can see clearly now that your beauty truly comes from within, for you are humble and grateful too life great and small. You have done well not to fall victim to the haughtiness of a pampered life.¡±


    ¡°You have my thanks yet again,¡± she said with another bow. She was, however, slightly frustrated upon having her life described as ¡®pampered.¡¯ It was true enough in many ways, but she felt as though it discounted her hardships. It was no time for a nuanced discussion of her life thus far, though, so she let it pass.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready to move forward,¡± she continued. ¡°Take me to Gylda, if you please. Let¡¯s put your people¡¯s minds at ease.¡±