A Story Of River (12 page)

River led his visitors to the House of
Medicine. They stood amazed as they entered the enormous room.

“How can such a room exist within a tree?”
Aelryk asked.

“That is part of the magic of the forest,”
River replied. “Things are not always as they seem.” He motioned for them to
follow as he crossed the room. Lenora, who had been busy mixing herbs, turned
and wiped her hands on her apron.

“My love, I've brought our visitors to
meet you. Two of them are injured and in need of your services.” He kissed her
cheek and turned to face their guests. “This is Lenora, my life mate. She is
the most skilled healer among us. This is King Aelryk of Na'zora and his
companions.”

“A pleasure to meet you, my lady,” Aelryk
said.

“My lady,” the others echoed.

“It surprises me that you would have much
need for healers,” Utric remarked. “All of the ancient tales of you suggest you
are immune to disease.”

“We have little need to cure illness, it's
true,” she said. “We do get scrapes and bruises like anyone else, and it's a
good idea to retain a skill that could prove very useful should the need arise.
One never knows what might lie ahead.” She approached Morek first and began
unwrapping the bandage tied around his head.

“It's much better than it was, my lady,”
he said as she examined the wound.

“I'll prepare a salve for you. Have a seat
there,” she said as she gestured to a cot nearby. She looked at the others and
asked, “Who else needs treatment?”

“That would be me, my lady,” Aelryk said.
“I'm afraid I must remove my shirt for you to see it, but I'm not accustomed to
disrobing in front of a lady and her husband.”

Lenora laughed and said, “I assure you
it's no problem.” She glanced back at River and smiled. Examining Aelryk's
wound, she said, “These scratches are very deep. Was it the same wolf-like
beast that attacked the dryads?”

“Yes, it was,” River replied.

Aelryk looked at River curiously and said,
“How do you know that?”

“I caught a glimpse of the battle when I
looked into Mel's eyes. He has a rare gift. Few of the Young Ones still have
the green eyes of the forest.”

“What does that mean?” Mel asked.

“You have inherited earth magic. Your
emerald green eyes are the only outward sign of it. They are very similar to
the deep green eyes of the dryads.”

“I've never seen a dryad,” Mel replied.

“They do exist in your forests, but your
people no longer notice them. It takes magical skill to locate them.”

“I have no such skill,” Mel said.

“You have the ability to learn if you so
desire.”

Lenora finished applying the salve to
Morek and placed a clean bandage over the wound. She created a poultice for the
king and placed it over the deep gashes on his side. Delicately, she wrapped a
bandage around his torso. “This poultice will help draw out any infection.
Whoever treated this earlier saved you a lot of pain.”

“That would by my court mage Willdor,”
Aelryk said. He motioned to Willdor who nodded at Lenora.

“My lady,” Utric said. “I don't wish to
trouble you, but I am rather old and have not had the easiest time sitting on a
horse for travel. Do you have anything to ease the joints of a tired old man?”

“I have just the thing,” Lenora said,
smiling softly at the elderly man. She walked over to a cupboard and brought
out a light pink potion. “Just one sip of this should last you all day,” she
said, handing him the bottle.

“I thank you, my lady,” he replied.

“Perhaps you would like some time to
rest,” River suggested. “You may stay in my home, and we shall prepare a
banquet tonight in your honor. It is long since we had any visitors.”

They followed River to his home near the
waterfall. The outside appeared to be an ordinary tree of the Vale. It was wide
enough at the base for a double set of arched doors and was coated in the same
silvery bark. Inside, however, a mansion lay before them. It was spacious and
bright with large windows looking out into the forest. The great room window
faced the waterfall and framed it as if it were a painting come alive. The
walls were etched with scrolling silver branches, and the floor was polished to
a high shine.

He led them to a series of doors and said,
“You may have your choice of these rooms. I trust you will find them quite
comfortable.”

“Your hospitality is most appreciated,”
Aelryk said.

“I will come for you when the feast is
prepared. Please, make yourselves at home.”

Mel settled into his room, but his mind
was whirling too fast for him to rest. Instead, he decided to have a bath. He
settled down into the sunken tub in the far corner of his room. His tired
muscles were instantly soothed by the warm water, and he dozed for a while in
the tub. After some time, he finally felt clean enough to dress. He searched
his knapsack for the best clothing he owned and pulled on the tunic and pants.
Putting on his boots, he noticed they had apparently cleaned themselves while
he was bathing. He supposed it had something to do with the same magic that
provided such spacious homes within the trees, and he muttered a quiet “thank
you” as he looked around the room.

Exiting into the hallway, he decided he
would try to find River. He was curious about the earth magic he mentioned, and
he hoped to discuss it further. He checked the great room first and found River
sitting on a cushioned bench next to a small girl. She caught sight of Mel and
came running up to him.

“Hi, my name's Alyra. What's yours?” she
said excitedly.

“It's Mel,” he replied. “How do you do,
Alyra?”

“I'm doing very well, thank you. Are you
one of the Young Ones?”

“I think so,” he replied. “At least that's
what your father has been calling me.”

Alyra laughed and grabbed him by the hand.
She led him over to the bench and hopped up on the center seat next to River.
Mel took a seat next to her.

“Why don't you go and play for a while, my
dear,” River said.

“Alright,” she replied. “Bye, Mel.” She
waved a hand at him and trotted down the hall.

“We are the First Ones,” River said to
Mel. “We are the parents to the Island Dwellers and the Young Ones.”

“Island Dwellers?” Mel said. “Do you mean
the Enlightened Elves?”

River laughed. “Is that what they're
calling themselves now? They've always taken a great interest in matters
arcane, so I suppose the title fits. You are a part of our second group of
children. That is why we call you the Young Ones. Also, you do not live as long
as our elder children, so you remain very young to us throughout your lives.”

“That's true,” Mel said, “but our lives
are very full.”

“Is it true you have been mistreated at
the hands of the humans?” River asked, sounding very concerned.

“In the past our two peoples have fought
over territory. I suppose both sides have done some wrong, but the humans have
committed the greater crimes. At least that's my opinion of it. All of that
happened before I was born.”

“I understand your feelings, Mel. You are
quite young and have much to accomplish in your life. I feel strongly that you
will help to mend the rift between the humans and the Young Ones.” River paused
for a moment and then said, “I am so very sorry for the loss of your mate. It
is a pain I cannot begin to understand.”

Mel remained silent, staring at a spot on
the floor. After a few moments of silence, he said, “Can you tell me more about
this earth magic you mentioned earlier?”

“You are naturally more attuned to the
land and the forests than others. There is magic there, and you could learn to
use it. The dryads here in the Vale are friends to us. They could teach you how
to use your skills.”

“What could I do with such magic?” Mel
asked.

“You could do many things, young Mel. You
could restore fallen trees and heal their sicknesses. You can learn to
communicate with the creatures of the woods. You could even learn to restore
the forests that have been destroyed. There are many possibilities, Mel. Those
are just a few things you might wish to learn.”

“I'm not a scholar,” Mel said, shaking his
head.

“It matters not,” River replied. “You have
been born with a gift. If you choose to use it, you will succeed. The dryads
can help you learn to channel the magic you already have and bend it to your
will. Controlling the gift will take practice and patience, but you will
succeed in the end if you so desire.”

Mel huffed and said, “I am just a simple
elf. It's hard to believe there could be anything special about me.”

“You are indeed special, Mel. It's your
choice whether you will use your gift to help your people. They could certainly
use someone like you.”

Mel looked up into River's sapphire eyes
and saw pure honesty. He wasn't making a joke, and he wasn't exaggerating. This
elf, who he barely knew, could see further into him than anyone ever had. The
thought was a little overwhelming. “I think I would like to meet these dryads,”
he said. “I could at least speak to them and maybe even learn a thing or two.”

River nodded. “I can take you to meet them
tomorrow. I think they will enjoy speaking with you.”

The banquet was all laid out when River
went to fetch his guests from their rooms. He led them to an enormous dining
hall where most of the Vale's citizens had gathered for the feast. An elongated
oval-shaped table was set at the heart of the room and filled with various
savory dishes.

Noticing something was missing, Morek
whispered to Mi'tal, “I think they've forgotten the meat.”

River, overhearing the comment, said, “Our
people do not consume the flesh of other living creatures. I'm sure you'll find
some of our dishes to your liking.”

Morek nodded. The food before him was very
appealing to his eyes, and the mixture of scents were quite tempting. He had no
doubt he would enjoy the meal.

River took a seat at the side of the table
next to Lenora. He gestured for the king to sit at his other side. Elder
Brandor sat at the head of the table. Raising a glass, he said, “My dear elves,
tonight we feast to honor the visit of King Aelryk of Na'zora and his friends.
We welcome you all to the Vale.” He took a sip from his glass as the elves
applauded. Aelryk felt honored by their immediate willingness to trust him and
his companions.

As the feast began, a beautiful elf maiden
played a wooden flute. The music was soft and sweet and carried beautifully
throughout the room. Plenty of conversation began among the guests, but the
music provided a subtle backdrop to the noise of many voices.

Aelryk sipped from the goblet in front of him
and placed it back on the table. “That's quite good,” he said. “What is it?”

“It is a wine made from pears,” River
replied. “The soft flavor goes very well with desserts.”

“Ah, I see,” the king replied. He took
another sip of the wine. “It would go very well with chocolate, I'm sure.”

“I've never heard of chocolate,” River
replied.

“My friend, you have been missing out,”
Aelryk said. “We will have to remedy that, should you decide to accompany me
back to Na'zora.”

River smiled and continued tasting the variety
of dishes before him. Alyra came running up to him and grabbed his hand. He
gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and then hugged her tightly. “My youngest
daughter,” River said to Aelryk. “Her name is Alyra.” She gave the king a
cheerful wave and then moved over to speak with her mother.

“Do you have any children?” River asked.

“I have a son,” Aelryk replied. “How many
do you have?”

“I have seven children,”
River began. “Three of them are here in the Vale, two have gone to visit the
dwarves, and the other two have gone with the river.”

“They drowned?” Aelryk
asked, his expression concerned.

“No, they cannot drown.
Not unless water poured from a glass into a lake drowns. They have traveled far
from here, and I have not seen them for many years.”

“That must make you sad.”

“It does, but I know that
they are well. Lenora's mother was against our union because she did not
believe I could give Lenora elf children. So far, I've given her five.” River
smiled and took another sip of wine.

“But you said there are
seven,” Aelryk said, looking slightly confused.

“Five elves, two
elementals. Perhaps more will follow.”

“I see,” he replied. “And
Lenora's father? How did he feel about the two of you?”

“He was very much against
it,” River said, shaking his head. “He didn't trust me. I think he feared me as
many others did when I was young. No one had ever been granted life the way I
was, and they did not know my true intentions. With time, they have come to
trust and respect me.”

“You're quite old, aren't
you?”

“Around eighteen hundred
give or take a few decades.”

“Here I thought I was
getting on in age. I seem quite young at only fifty,” Aelryk said, laughing.
“Your father, does he still live?”

River laughed and said,
“We thought he would stay forever, but he finally decided to cross over. He was
a member of the Elder Council and truly enjoyed his position. Basically, the
council are the eldest among us who are not yet ready to leave. In time, all
elves must give their long lives back to nature. It is nature who gives them
their existence, and to nature they return.”

“You speak as if you are
not an elf yourself,” Aelryk remarked.

“I am both an elf and a
water spirit,” River replied.

“An elemental,” Aelryk
said.

“Yes,” River said. “My
life belongs to the Spirit of the river. I will not always exist in this form.”

Aelryk went silent, lost
in his thoughts. He tasted some of the food in front of him and found it very
pleasing. The flavors were brand new to him, and he enjoyed the culinary
experience.

The elves applauded as
the flutist took a bow and left the stage. Lenora ascended the platform
carrying a small silver lyre. The elves applauded and then fell silent. She
began to sing as she strummed the strings.

At sunrise I heard the
voice so clear,

the singing of water,
the falls sang with cheer

to herald the morning
with chorus of birds.

The sweetest of songs
that ever I heard.

How the lights danced
on the river so wide.

I longed to stay ever
here by its side

and never to part with
this River, my love.

Forever my heart would
be dreaming of.

I followed the River,
my true love and I

from mountain to forest
under wide open sky

and all the days long
my heart it did sing

Of River and water and
the joy it does bring.

My River led on and I
did pursue.

Its course ever steady,
my love ever true.

Such beauty my River
and I did see

the beauties of nature
displayed before me.

I love so my River and
never would fear

that ever I would part
with my River so dear.

At my River’s side I
would always remain

regardless of challenge
or torment or pain.

Still I did follow and
never did stray

from my River, my love,
I would never away.

We walked ever on, my
River and me,

to the edge of the land
and the shore of the sea.

The sea! The sea! The
gluttonous sea!

It threatens to take my
River from me.

A mouth ever hungry,
the villainous sea

would swallow my River
for eternity.

And into that water the
sapphire blue

my River did flow, but
I could not pursue.

And here at the shore I
shall ever stay

‘til my River, my love,
shall take me away.

Aelryk joined the others in applause and
glanced over at River. His eyes were fixated on Lenora, and Aelryk could see
how much in love he still was with his wife of so many years. River stood as
Lenora walked back to her seat. Taking both her hands in his, he kissed her
long and full on her lips. She blushed a little as they separated and settled
back into her seat.

The festivities continued late into the
night. By the time Aelryk retired to his rooms, his belly was quite full and
his thirst was more than satisfied. These elves certainly treat their guests
well, and he was grateful for it. The Vale was, in his mind, a bright spot in a
world quickly being overrun with darkness. Tonight he would forget his troubles
and sleep peacefully in this fairytale land of spring.