�But now the times are dangerous. How do we know she won�t betray us?�
There was a long, uncomfortable pause. Tavia could hear the leaves crackling as Orlan shifted in place.
�I know you�re one of my advisors, but you aren�t making any sense, Orlan. A fire-mage would no more betray us than an elf would. They have no love for humans.� Minerva replied finally with barely concealed harshness.
�You�re right, Lady. I spoke without thought, please forgive me.�
�I will, but only if you promise to be more kind toward our guest from now on. You have been acting strange for a while now and I don�t want you to add being rude to your reputation.�
�I will try.�
�Good. Now let�s rejoin the others and then return home. I don�t want to miss the Planting.� Minerva replied and with that, the crunching of leaves that were soft enough so as to be only audible to Tavia�s ears heralded their approach.
Tavia, however, waited until Minerva came into view with Orlan behind her to stand up and brush herself off. The other elf stood at attention, smoothing the wrinkles in his tunic. Tavia hid a smile; apparently, he had been sleeping against the tree before his Lady arrived.
Minerva smiled fondly at him, �Come Tansis, let�s go home. Tavia, walk next to me so you can tell me what circumstances brought you here.� She said, laying a hand on Tansis�s shoulder.
All four of them made their way through the trees and as they walked, Tavia recounted to Minerva about her life, beginning with the deaths of her parents at the hands of the townspeople. The Lady�s beautiful face fell at that news and she told Tavia stories of Astarra and Rolan when they passed through Sinistira on the same journey that their daughter was on now. The Lady was careful to choose stories that made the fire-child chuckle or smile, but eventually Tavia felt her heart constrict with longing for her parents. Around that time, Minerva tactfully changed the subject to the Sacred Planting.
Apparently, every hundred years all the elves would gather at a predetermined place to plant an oak tree seedling that had been cultivated carefully for months before hand. Once the seedling was planted, the Lady of the Trees, which had been Minerva�s mother for the past four Plantings, would offer a benediction to Arianne, the goddess of forests and wildlife. The Lady would pray for the goddess�s blessing over the next hundred years. Then, the Leader of the Elves poured energy into the tiny sapling, and it would grow at an uncommon and uncontrollable speed. The height and health that the tree was when the growth stopped would determine how good the next century would be. It was said in legend that Arianne controlled the growth of the tree and sent warnings to her people through it.
By the time Minerva had told Tavia all she knew and had answered all the fire-child�s questions, the elf Minerva had called Tansis announced happily that they were approaching Sinistira. Tavia quieted immediately and looked around carefully, not willing to miss the first glimpse of the Elven city. But nothing could be seen, not even when Tansis cried, �We�re home� and leaped off a low log to dash through a clearing. There were no buildings, no elves, and no streets or anything bigger than a butterfly. To further add to her confusion, there was no sign or sense of any illusion concealing the city.
Minerva, seeing Tavia�s mystification and guessing its cause said quietly, �Look up.�
The fire-girl obeyed and gasped in astonishment. Above her stretched the trunks of oak trees, their branches reaching to the sky, and within them, were hundreds of houses wrapping around their trunks. They were cleverly concealed with leaves, tree bark, and branches so that anyone who looked upward casually would miss them completely. Their peaked roofs almost touched the floors of the houses above them. They were decorated with tiny brightly colored flowers in pots hanging from the eaves of the houses that added different tints to the green roof above.
�Come, Tavia, let�s go up to prepare for the Planting. We need to gather some things and I think that we could all use some food and rest.� Minerva said, smiling.
�But, how�?� Tavia began.
�I�ll show you Tavia!� Tansis called, beckoning to her from across the clearing.
Minerva laughed, �Tansis is young and still is a little too exuberant for an elf, but sometimes I feel that his attitude is refreshing after the company of my counselors.� She whispered as they both made their way towards him.
Tavia suddenly remembered that there had been a fourth member of their group. She looked around, but Orlan was nowhere in sight. She brought this to Lady Minerva�s attention and the Lady replied that Orlan had told her that there were intruders in the southern end of the Forest and was going to investigate. Somehow, though, Tavia had the strange feeling that this was not exactly true, but she kept her opinions to herself. Minerva would know if one of her own was betraying her.
Tansis stood next to a huge oak that would have supported twenty people reaching around its trunk but still kept their fingers from touching. The Elven boy smiled happily, �Watch, Tavia.� He commanded and then he placed his hand on the tree, palm down and fingers splayed. He then opened his mouth and spoke in a language that sounded like the wind blowing through the tree tops but was completely unintelligible to Tavia. When he stopped speaking, the tree shuddered and a section of the wood slid to the side, revealing steps winding their way up the inside of the tree.
�Tavia, are you coming?� Tansis asked, setting one foot on the bottom step.
Tavia nodded mutely and followed the joyous elf upward. Inside the trunk was hollow and the steps wound in a spiral. At intervals along the side, lanterns lighted the dark cavern so that the climbers could see where they stepped.
Tansis leaped up the stairs two at a time while the Lady and the fire-mage followed at a more sedate pace. The steps seemed to go up forever and Tavia�s thighs and calves burned with every motion. Tavia sent a silent prayer to the Star Goddess that their trek would end soon. And, sure enough, just when she could feel her legs going numb, Tansis stopped and turned to the side of the staircase. He repeated the ritual that he had preformed at the base of the tree and a second door swung open.
The rounded doorway framed a picture that was straight out of a storybook. Light from the sunlight filtering through the leaves flooded the narrow stairway, making the lanterns seem dim. The floor of the room was made of interlaced branches weaved so closely together that the flower petals covering it didn�t fall through even when an elf stepped on them. The roof reached upward to mingle and blend with the treetop above. Elves rushed back and forth along the flower-strewn floor carrying covered dishes that steamed slightly and bouquets of flowers that were artfully arranged. Perfume wafted from the crushed petals on the ground.
�It�s beautiful.� Tavia breathed, awestruck.
�I�m glad you think so, child.� Minerva replied, smiling, �This is the Main Hall. Right now, the preparations for the Planting are going on or else it would be less hectic.�
�I understand, I�m sure this event takes a lot of planning and preparation.�
�You couldn�t be more right.� Minerva sighed, �They�ll be bustling like this until the midnight when we travel to the Planting site. This is a never-ending task.�
Both women stepped through the door held by Tansis, thanking him softly, and when the elves in the room spotted their leader, every one of them stopped and bowed, some more awkwardly than others due to the trays or bouquets of flowers they carried. Minerva waved them on to their duties and they obeyed.