Tavia took off her extra clothes and stuffed them into her pack, then stood in the unfiltered sunlight and soaked in the rays as she hadn�t been able to do since she began her journey. When her skin began to feel baked, however, she stepped forward into the cool green shade of the Forest.
Pine needles and dead leaves crunched underfoot and her nose filled with the tangy scent of the trees that had dropped them. Birds unlike any she had heard in Shavasta chirped merrily above her, hidden in the trees. Everything was green and peaceful and to Tavia, it was well worth the grueling flight to stand in this emerald wonderland.
No real forests were in Shavasta, only plants that were required to live were grown in the greenhouse and these were manicured and placed in perfectly kept rows. The Forest of Memories was wild, but in a bright and vibrant way that left Tavia with a revitalized feeling. A broad smile crept over her face and she spontaneously laughed twirling on her toes and skipping further into the trees, retracting to her wings as she went.
�What is a little human doing so far into our forest? Don�t you know that people can get hurt that way?� A silken voice laughingly spoke, echoing through the trees, seeming to come from many places at once.
Tavia stopped immediately. Whipping around she tried to pinpoint where the voice was coming from, but when she heard a rustling in one place, it was in another by the time she turned to face it. �Who are you?� She barked.
�Pitiful human, you are not in a position to be asking questions. You are very deep into �the Shadowed Forest� as you call it, and this is not your domain. It is ours and in it, we can do many things that you would not like.� This voice was different than the first, more feminine and less amused.
Immediately following her words, the trees lost their appeal and seemed to stretch toward her reaching out to grasp and tear at clothing and skin. A fear engulfed her but she fought it back and focused on the one word that had been repeated by both voices. They had both called her a human.
�I�m not a human, you fools. I�m a dragon mage!!� She shouted, and forced her wings into being on her back as fast as she had ever done in her life. The golden scales glistened in the sunlight filtering through the leaves, and the horns shone brightly in an echo of the anger in her eyes.
A gasp was heard above her and the trees regained their serene demeanor. �Oh my.� Whispered the feminine voice, but it had lost its elusiveness and Tavia was now able to pinpoint it to directly in front of her.
�Yeah, precisely. Now, do you want to tell me who you are?� Tavia asked, placing a hand on her hip.
Three figures stepped out of the trees, two men headed by woman. Each had bright, penetrating green eyes, whitish blonde hair, and skin that had a emerald sheen over it. Their clothes were brown and green gauze that covered slender, willow-like figures. Delicate ears were pointed slightly at the tops. The men looked young and the woman only slightly older, but since elves were one of the First Races, they lived long and aged slowly, it was hard to tell for sure.
�Please forgive us, young lady, we did not see your yellow eyes and mistook you for a human. Needless to say, their kind are not welcome here. We spoke without thought.� The woman elf spoke, her voice light and beautiful once it had lost its danger, making Tavia long to hear more of it.
�It�s alright, miss�� Tavia prompted.
�I am Minerva, Lady of the Trees and leader of the Elves.� The beautiful elf maiden spoke. A smile crept across her pale green lips, �But you may call me simply Minerva,� a startled sound came from the two males behind her, �or, if you prefer, Lady Minerva.�
Tavia bowed, sweeping her wings to the ground. She didn�t know why she did it; it just felt like the right thing to do. �Lady Minerva, I am honored to make your exalted acquaintance.� The fire-girl replied gracefully and with a small smirk, hidden behind her golden wings.
Minerva laughed loud and long, a tinkling, bright sound that filled the trees with light like a thousand butterflies. �The girl speaks well, does she not? And she looks like she is very tired. I think that we should bring her to Sinistira to rest and celebrate the Sacred Planting with us.�
One of the male Elves behind the Lady of the Trees smiled and nodded, and Tavia sensed that he was as amused as Minerva, but the second male gasped and rushed to stand beside the Lady. �My Lady Minerva, you must not do this! No non-elf has been allowed to visit Sinistira in years and we cannot put our city in danger now.�
�Orlan, this is not a human we are talking about, this girl is a fire-mage and therefore welcome. By the way, what is you name, child?�
�Tavia, Lady.�
�Ah, a beautiful name.�
Tavia beamed, �Thank you, Lady.�
�But my Lady Minerva, she is an outsider!� Orlan yelled, his voice bordering on a whine as it hit the higher octaves, �We don�t even know where she came from or what she�s doing here!�
Here Tavia felt the need to interject, �I came from Shavasta where I have lived for seven years. I�m on my pilgrimage to Simione�s temple� This angry elf was confusing her. He was projecting a great urgency and fear coupled with a bit of guilt. It was as if he really didn�t want her at Sinistira but for reasons other than the ones he presented to his leader.
Minerva�s eyebrows jumped to her silver hairline, �Really? Why��
But Orlan interrupted before she could finish, �Lady, send her on her way,. The sooner she reaches her destination, the happier we all will be.� Orlan looked positively desperate now, his whitish blonde hair flying in a disarray.
�Perhaps I should just leave, I could make camp a little ways from here�� Tavia began, trying to pacify the ranting elf.
�You will do nothing of the sort. Orlan, may I speak with you alone for a moment?� Both statement and question were spoken with the same assurance that neither would be disobeyed.
Neither were, of course. The Lady of the Trees was a person that exuded authority like most people sweat. So as Minerva walked into the trees, Orlan followed behind her, and Tavia seated herself on the leaf-strewn forest floor. The elf who was left leaned up against the trunk of a tree and stared up through the leafy canopy.
Tavia looked downward, and began to shred the dried leaves between her fingers as she tried not to eavesdrop on Orlan and Minerva�s conversation. But their words were easily heard as they moved to a spot that wasn�t quite far enough away to escape a fire mage�s enhanced hearing.
�Orlan,� Minerva�s voice filtered to Tavia�s ears, �what are you reasons for making that girl feel unwelcome among us? She is not a human, she is a fire-mage and if not for her people, Sinistira would not exist and we would all probably be killed or imprisoned.�
�But the Sacred Planting is only for elves to witness. Fire-mages don�t even worship Arianne, that girl would not fully appreciate the significance of the ceremony.� Orlan now, his voice deeper than the Minerva�s.