Aaran didn�t respond to the apology, instead he tried to cut this meeting short, �You said you had news to tell me.� He prompted blandly.
The tree lover twitched even more than usual at this and he opened his mouth several times for many false starts before he got a word out, �A fire-mage has come to Sinistira and the Lady of the Trees has invited her to the Planting.� He blurted.
Aaran had long ago learned that Sinistira was the treetop city of the elves and the Lady of the Trees was the leader of the elves. �So? That just makes the conquest more worthwhile if we can capture him, too. The only thing we have to worry about there is their cursed control of fire. We have earplugs to protect us from their mind control and spells will cut through whatever measly protections they can conjure up with their songs�
�But that�s not all! The fire-mages can�� but the Elven spy was cut off from finishing his sentence as he spotted someone behind Aaran and blanched.
The Order of the Dove mage turned and spotted a man walking toward him, completely unperturbed by the trees surrounding him. The new man had blonde hair the color of wheat in the sunshine and piercing blue eyes that sparkled like glaciers. His skin was pale with only a hint of creamy peach and his demeanor was one of easy grace. He wore a white robe over brown shirt and pants and a golden circlet rested on his brow, almost blending perfectly with his hair.
�King Marsibadd.� Aaran acknowledged, bowing with some surprise. The king was supposed to be in King�s City now, not here traipsing through the Shadowed Forest as if the shadows didn�t exist.
�Professor Aaran. I heard that our contact has arrived with some news.� Marsibadd replied, his voice full of ice and his eyes never leaving the elf.
�Yes, he says that a dragon spawn has come to the Elven city. But, meaning no disrespect sir, how did you get here so fast? King�s City is at least a hundred miles away.�
The King of Tarin looked down his nose at Aaran disapprovingly. His highness didn�t appreciate anyone questioning his ways and the Professor had long ago realized this. What had made him ask now was something he couldn�t fathom.
Aaran cringed slightly below the penetrating gaze, but apparently Marsibadd had decided that just glaring at him would suffice to shut him up so he once again turned to the Elven traitor. �You were saying something about a dragon spawn.� He prompted.
�Yes, my Lord.� The fidgety elf replied, �Her name is Tavia.� He looked up to see if there was any recognition but neither mages had heard of the name. �She�s staying at Sinistira right now and will be taken to the Planting. Aaran doesn�t seem to think this is a problem against his elite force, my Lord, but she could prepare them and without the element of surprise on our side, this campaign will fail. We cannot allow the elves to reach the safety of Sinistira or the trees.�
�But how would she know that you were going to betray your people?� the elf winced at Aaran�s words, �the elves themselves don�t suspect anything and our exchange has been going on for months now. Why would one little dragon-girl make a difference?�
�Because dragon-mages are em�� Orlan started to say.
But Marsibadd cut him off quickly before he got any farther. �Aaran, all dragon spawn are very cunning. More so than the tree lovers are and they�re more used to treachery and the signs of it. After all, they are a treacherous people who betray even their own kind to get ahead, so they must know the signs in order to survive. And besides that, they have extremely good hearing and can smell like a wolf. That alone would alert the creature to our presence if we�re not careful.� Aaran nodded. King Marsibadd knew more about the dragon people than any other mage in Tarin.
The king turned back to their contact, �Now, my only advice to you is to prevent this �Tavia� from warning the elves in any way and to be extra guarded around her. Other than that, we will go on with the invasion as planned.�
�Of course, my Lord, I will make sure all is ready. But don�t forget your promise. That you would give me the Elvish throne once the Lady of the Trees and her children were killed.�
�I won�t forget.�
The elf bowed and nodded once before disappearing back into the trees. Marsibadd turned to Aaran, �Prepare the men.� He commanded in a low voice, �And when we invade the Shadowed Forest, we will kill or capture every elf we can find, including that one.�
* * *
Tavia awoke slowly, relishing in the warm fragrance of the pillows beneath her head. Someone had come in and placed a blanket over her made of the softest grasses woven together. She stretched underneath it for a moment, relishing the feel of it on her bare arms and wings before throwing it off and swinging her legs over the side of the bed. The fire-child sat for a moment, stretching her stiff wings behind her, before lifting off the ground experimentally. The exertion of herself lifting off the bed woke her up the rest of the way and took the last of her stiffness away.
She strode out of the room and into the hallway, feeling refreshed, where she peered out the window situated at the end of it, nearest her door. She was startled to find that it was night already, the darkness lying over a thousand twinkling lights from the lanterns of a thousand houses. But Tavia knew that those lights were insignificant compared to the beauty of the stars themselves, so she was disappointed when she looked up to find that the tree limbs above her obscured most of them. The elves were wonderful and kind, but she couldn�t understand how anyone could live somewhere where the stars were hidden.
�Ah, so I see you are awake already.� Came Minerva�s voice from behind her. �Lovely view is it not?�
�It is but I would prefer to be able to see the stars.� Tavia confessed, leaning towards the window to try and find an opening in the ceiling of branches.
Minerva laughed, �Spoken like a true child of Simione. Your parents would have been proud. But now is the time for the Planting and all is ready and waiting on both of our arrivals. Come and follow me.�
The Lady of the Trees turned, and Tavia went after her. They went back down the hallway and to the stairs that had led them to the royal suites. Tansis stood respectfully outside on the landing and waved merrily at Tavia. The fire-mage waved back and smiled as he led them upward.
Stairs stretched both above and below them and the two elves chose the ones leading up. The Lady and her guest climbed up, step by step, following Tansis as they passed landing after landing that opened into other hallways until they reached the final one.
This opened not into a hallway but instead into a circular open-air courtyard. Ten huge oaks surrounded its diameter, which was big enough to accommodate ten dragons stretched nose to tail along it. The oaks stretched their branches over the top to make a natural roof. Glass-covered lanterns hung form poles between the trees and two poles held something that looked like a deep plate atop it. In the plates, fire burned uncovered. Elves were milling aimlessly around a huge pile of dead branches in the center of the circle, and more elves poured out through doorways in nine of the ten trees.