Evadeen Brickwood - The Speaking Stone of Caradoc

“It’s afternoon already. Seamen don’t like to be out at sea after dark. I wonder if we’ll reach this magical island in time.”

“We’d better.”

Trevor was looking sideways at Chryséis , who dreamily observed dolphins jumping in the distance. The ‘Navis Arion’ was going too fast for them.

“Let’s see.” Chryséis looked at her watch. It was almost 4 o’clock. “We have at least 3 - 4 hours before sunset. That gives us still some time.”

“What are the Edfunians doing on this Ruta Ynis Island anyway?”

“Good question. They could’ve sailed straight across to Edfun.”

Chryséis grappled with the logic of Edfunian thinking.

“Maybe the elf queen is involved in the theft,” Trevor said and nibbled on a large white nut from a têrakhon bowl. Tasty travel food with the Lady of Kamûk’s compliments.

“I don’t think so, Sherlock. It’s probably too dangerous to sail after dark.”

“Yes, right. The monsters of the sea,” Trevor mocked and hummed the theme music of the film ‘Jaws’.

“Funny.”

“Must be a good reason. Nobody seems exactly keen to go to Ruta Ynis.”

“Everything happens so fast. Yesterday we were still in Alesia and now we are chasing Edfunians to an elf kingdom because of some stone. Somebody keep up with that!” Katherine changed the subject.

“Yeah, somebody keep up with that.” Chryséis mumbled then carried on admiring the golden sunlight on the ocean. “Think about that. Elves! Who knew?”

Katherine put headphones over her ears and hummed to the tunes of her favorite CD. Five minutes later a repeated call announced land.

“Terreis! Terreis!”

The thin green shoreline moved closer and closer and became a dense forest. They slowed down and before long the ‘Navis Arion’ anchored in a secluded bay in full sight of the gravel-covered shore. The Edfunian ship was moored on the western side of the bay. A rowing boat with armed men was sent over to investigate.

“Ship’s deserted, captain. Nobody aboard and no ‘Speaking Stone’ either,” the four armed men reported back after a short while.

“They are on land then, we have no time to lose.” The captain ordered another boat to be readied. “We must tread with care. Elves can be an unpredictable and long-fingered lot. It’s best if they see us long before we see them.”

“Don’t take the camera with,” Chryséis warned Trevor, who sorted a few items into his moonbag.

“Why not? Don’t you think it would be great to have pictures of elves?”

“We only have this one camera and captain Thëlamôn said the elves like to steal things.”

“It’s small enough to fit into my shirt pocket. I can cut a hole into the pocket. They won’t see it.”

Chryséis shrugged her shoulders. “Fine, take it with. Just look after it.”

Minutes later the three of them sat in a boat with Kheton, the captain, Lelani and two of the crewmen, heading for the beach. Lelani was wearing a periwinkle-blue dress for the occasion of meeting with the elf queen. The two sailors rowed, while captain Thëlamôn gave them the lowdown on Ruta Ynis.

“Stick with the group and do as I say. We need to be careful.”

“Because of the Edfunians?” Trevor wanted to know.

“Why no, because of the tricks of moody elves and fauns of the forest like to play. The satyrs in the western plains aren’t much better. Wild men with tails, a tribe more monkey than human, however sharp of mind and swift of foot. No love lost between them. We’ll stay in the forest and don’t have to worry about the satyrs.”

Trevor thought he knew everything there was to know about the people of the Known World. ”They have tails?”

“Some say they are not human at all with their long tails,” one of the sailors added, before he dug again into the water.

“The forest dwellers can appear and disappear at will and scare unwelcome visitors.” The captain inhaled the smoke from a meerschaum pipe hanging from his mouth. Like the other sailors, he had tied his hair to the back.

“They don’t sound very friendly.” Trevor scanned the treed shoreline as the rowing boat dashed towards the beach in long pulls.

“Friendly? Moody’s the word. Elves and sprites live in streams, trees and waterfalls. Beautiful Queen Elfinûr rules in the palace Arbộlimar, said to be wrought with spells. They say that her true love, the valiant sailor Talariêl sailed the seven seas and never returned. She is waiting for him still, to make him her rightful elf king. Although he is not an elf at all. She’s a bit mad because of it.”

“Oh, that’s so sad,” Lelani sighed. ”Love lost.”

“Great. Not only an elf queen, but a mad one,” Trevor said.

“One must take care not to touch the crystalline wine served at her palace. Many a good sailor was lost to the world after drinking it. By the time he woke up, he found his ship long gone,” the other sailor said and strained at his oar.

They soon reached the shore. The boat crunched onto the pebbles and the children jumped out, water splashing against their legs.

“Ah, there is the path just as I remember it,” the captain said and pointed to a gleaming white opening between the trees close to the beach. “Daimon and Fenrik. You two stay with the boat. The elves rarely venture out of the forest, but the Edfunians may still be around. We’ll take these with us.”

He picked up what looked like short hockey sticks and gave one to Kheton, hooking another into his broad belt. Lelani carried a small harp made of yellow wood, the special present for the elf queen.

“Let’s go then,” Chryséis said with determination and marched over the pebbles closely behind captain Thëlamôn.

They picked their way around smooth boulders until their feet touched the soft leaf-covered forest floor. The sound of trickling water led them to a mossy stone pool in the shade by the white stony path. Kheton sat down on the broad rim to dip his hand playfully into the sparkling water, but the captain held him back.

“I wouldn’t touch the water if I was you. It might just put a spell on you.”

Kheton pulled his hand back. Big red flowers grew between lush ferns and caught Katherine’s eye.

“Look how beautiful these red flowers are,” Lelani marveled.

They hung back a little to pick flowers for their hair.

“The palace is not far from here,” captain Thëlamôn said, surveying the way ahead. “We will walk in pairs, never losing sight of the others. Be watchful of elf guards. Remember they will try and…”

“Captain, captain!” Kheton cried and everybody turned to look at him. ”Lelani is gone!”

“And where is Katherine?” Chryséis looked around. “They are both gone!”

“The elves must have lured them away,” Kheton cried and shook his head. The thought of any harm to his beloved Lelani was frightening.

“Such mischief! Courage athenai, courage.” Captain Thëlamôn quickly considered their new situation. “Send a thought to Lelani and ask where they have been taken. We will have to negotiate with the sly elf guards for their release it seems.”

“Will they still help us?” Kheton asked anxiously.

“The elves dislike uncivilised Gabari and surely know why we are here. Speak to your wife now.”

Kheton concentrated on a single silent question in his mind and the answer came promptly.

“They are in a clearing in the forest, at the end of this path,” he announced.

“I’m scared. What did they do to Katie, those stupid elves? We must find her quickly. “Chryséis quivered as they hurried after Kheton and captain Thëlamôn.

“Yes we must. Come on keep up.”

“I wish I had some music with me then I wouldn’t feel so scared.”