Richard Tuttle - Elvangar

“Friends can be counted on to help you get out of trouble,” frowned Tamar, “but that is not what you will be asking them to do. You will be asking them to join with us in getting into trouble. Let’s be honest about this. You will be asking some human to give up his life for an elf. There is an extremely good chance that anyone who comes with us will die before this is over. I say we go back and get one of my men. They will risk their lives for the King of the Elves.”

“I am not going back,” declared Mistake. “We will go to the Island of Darkness alone.”

“I know someone who will come with us,” MistyTrail said softly.

“You cannot ask a human to give up his life to save an elf,” Tamar shook his head, “even if that elf is the king.”

“I would not ask HawkShadow to give up his life for an elf,” replied MistyTrail. “I doubt that I could convince him to come if that were the case.”

“If that were the case?” echoed Mistake. “Tell me that you are not going to lie to HawkShadow to get him to come.”

“I would never lie to HawkShadow,” MistyTrail replied, her voice quaking slightly. “He would not come to save an elf, but he would volunteer to come if it was to save my father.”

Tears came to MistyTrail’s eyes as she thought about HawkShadow.

“Who is this HawkShadow?” Tamar asked softly.

“He is a Sakovan assassin,” answered Mistake. “I have worked with him in the past. You could ask for no better person at your back. MistyTrail is right. HawkShadow would come to help MistyTrail save her father. They were very close when they worked together.”

“I look forward to meeting any human that my princesses look up to,” smiled Tamar. “If he is willing to risk his life to save MistyTrail’s father, he surely must be part elf. How can we contact him?”

“I will contact him,” MistyTrail offered as she wiped her eyes and rose.

MistyTrail walked to the bow of the ship and wove an air tunnel to StarCity. Mistake watched her for a moment and then wove her own air tunnel to Angragar. Tamar watched curiously as Mistake spoke to someone and asked to speak to Rejji.

“Mistake,” Rejji said happily, “are you alright?”

“I am fine,” answered Mistake. “MistyTrail and I are in a ship heading towards Angragar. We have an elven friend with us. I wanted you to know so that the Qubari do not get upset and attack us.”

“The Qubari would never attack the elves,” Rejji replied. “Still, I will pass the word that you are coming. Was there a problem in Elvangar?”

“Somewhat of a problem,” replied Mistake. “I will tell you all about it when we arrive. We have to return to the Island of Darkness. Can you procure the chart that Emperor Marak had made of the island? I think a copy of it would be helpful to us.”

“You want to return to the Island of Darkness?” balked Rejji. “I do not think that is a wise idea. What could possibly be so important to you to make you choose such a dangerous path?”

“It is a long story,” sighed Mistake.

“Tell him,” urged Tamar. “If you are asking him for help, he has a right to know the truth.”

Mistake nodded to Tamar. “We are going to rescue a man from the temple there,” Mistake told Rejji. “The man is our father. He is also the King of the Elves.”

“King of the Elves?” echoed Rejji. “But that means…”

“I know what it means,” sighed Mistake. “It is enough of a shock to MistyTrail and me that we even have a father. I do not want to think further about the implications.”

“I will round up men to go with you,” Rejji declared.

Tamar’s eyebrows rose. He tapped Mistake on the shoulder and leaned close to her ear.

“Why?” he whispered. “Because the man is your father, or because he is the King of the Elves? Ask him.”

Mistake frowned at Tamar and shook her head. Tamar nodded his head vigorously.

“Are you still there?” Rejji asked worriedly.

“Yes,” answered Mistake. “I thank you for your offer, but we don’t want men to go with us. We want to keep the party small. Just get us the chart.”

“You will have the chart and anything else you need,” promised Rejji. “I will talk to you when you get here about how many men you will need.”

“Rejji!” protested Mistake. “I know you heard me. Why are you being so insistent?”

“Two reasons,” Rejji replied. “I would do anything to see you reunited with your father, and I would do anything to rescue the King of the Elves. We need their help, Mistake. I am sure that you know that.”

“We will talk when we arrive, Rejji,” replied Mistake. “Please do not make any plans regarding my trip to the Island of Darkness before I get there. Don’t make me sorry that I told you what we were up to. Promise me.”

“I will make no definite plans before I talk to you,” Rejji promised after a short pause, “but I must tell Emperor Marak. I will need to get a copy of the chart from him.”

“Alright,” agreed Mistake.

Mistake dropped the air tunnel as MistyTrail was returning from the bow.

“Did you reach him?” asked Mistake.

“I did,” nodded MistyTrail. “He promised that he would come. He has to speak to Lyra first. He cannot just walk off and leave the Sakova undefended.”

“Do you think she will stop him from coming?” asked Mistake.

“No,” MistyTrail shook her head. “Nothing stops HawkShadow when he has made his mind up. I am sure that Lyra knows that.”

“I think that I have a lot to learn about your humans friends,” commented Tamar. “Their responses amaze me. Then again, I must have an awful lot to learn about my princesses. You must both be remarkable women to inspire such loyalty to you.”

MistyTrail and Mistake looked at each other and grinned.

The ancient elven scout ship entered the harbor of Angragar. Tamar’s eyes opened wide as he viewed the city of legends. The harbor was full of ships and the docks were alive with hundreds of colorfully clad humans. As he maneuvered around the anchored ships, Tamar saw some ancient elven trading vessels. He could not take his eyes off the ships that had not been seen in centuries.

“Look out!” shouted Mistake.

Tamar turned just in time to see the ship in front of him. He turned the scout ship sharply and the sails fluttered in the wind. He exhaled slowly.

“Sorry,” the embarrassed elf said. “I should keep my mind on sailing. MistyTrail, grab the line at the bow. Throw it to someone on the docks when we get close enough. Mistake, do the same with the stern line. I promise to keep my eyes on where we are going.”

The princesses sprang into action while Tamar corrected the ship’s course and headed for an empty dock. The ship floated perfectly alongside the dock, and the girls threw the lines to men standing on the dock. Rejji and Bakhai marched out onto the dock and grinned at the girls.

“Welcome back,” shouted Rejji as he waved to the girls.

The girls jumped off the ship and Tamar followed.

“This is Tamar of Elvangar,” introduced Mistake. “Tamar, this is Rejji and Bakhai.”

“Welcome to Angragar,” smiled Rejji. “Let’s go to the palace. There are some people there that I would like you to meet.”

Tamar smiled back at Rejji and nodded. The small group made their way to the center of the city. Tamar’s eyes constantly moved, taking in every sight and memorizing it. What amazed him the most was the architecture of the buildings. While they were not the same as the buildings in Morada, it was easy to see the influence of ancient elven style in many of the buildings. He wondered if this is what Alamanda would look like if it still existed.