“Farewell handsome Arowe. It’s been my honour to be your guide but, sadly, I’ve taken you as far through the green path as I’m able. You must travel the remainder of your journey on foot and alone.”
Arowe allows the sweet and beautiful Fey creature to hold him and enjoy his warmth for a few more moments before disentangling himself from her cool, willowy limbs.
Taking a step away from her, he watches as Sitka Merges back into the thick oak-tree and disappears, fully aware that he’ll probably never see her again.
Turning around, Arowe looks to the South. The forest has thinned out enough, that he can see, high in the distance, the fabled mountains of Falutin. Home to the haughty and universally loathed; Grey Elves. And potentially the location of his real Father…
His mind, unbidden, dredges up memories of his childhood. His loving Mother; Lissomny and his… supposed Father. Now that the truth has been revealed to him, Filigren’s cruel behaviour makes a great deal more sense. The absence of warmth or kindness. The lack of concern in regard to his future or happiness. He wasn’t his Father though and, despite never admitting it aloud, somehow he always suspected the truth.
The realisation doesn’t make Arowe angry though. He’s had several days now to process and rationalise it and, rather than upsetting, it’s liberating. The man he’d always thought was his Father was mean spirited and petty. A cruel and narcissistic man that he’d always been slightly ashamed of.
Arowe did remember some of his opines regarding the Grey Elves though. He’d always hated them and he hadn’t been an outlier in that sentiment. His view was shared, pretty much universally and especially by all the High Elves of Glendorne.
Well over a century ago, when the ancient, female Blue Dragon; Theranthor was losing the battle against the Demon Prince; Zartak, the Elder Council of the Grey Elves petitioned and willingly joined forces with the evil Dragon to aid her in the war against the legions of the Demon.
While all the other races of Fissa were fighting, fleeing or simply being crushed under the heels of the Dragon or the Demon, the Grey Elves chose a side and turned the tide of the campaign in Theranthor’s favour.
After the bloodiest of battles, the thirty-year war was finally over and, against all odds, Zartak was banished back to his prison in Hell? The Dragon Empress then ruled over almost the entirety of Fissa for over a century. A dark century, where all the races, except the favoured Grey Elves, suffered under Theranthor’s cruel reign.
Inhaling the cool forest air around him, Arowe wraps his magical cloak tightly around himself and strides forward, towards the harsh, bleak mountains and potentially, his real, but still unknown, Father.
Seems the Grey picked the winner, hopefully they benefited from having favour and could be useful again against 'grandpa' Zartak
ReplyDelete‘Grandpa Zartak’? I see what you did there. Clever. :D
DeleteThose high falutin' greys up high Falutin. Made me laugh.
ReplyDelete