Dawn of Dusk

Vistyral and Chertal moved slowly down the path with the sure knowledge that there were Elves watching every move they made. Vistyral was not a cowardly man but neither was he foolish. He had come into Elven lands uninvited which was a serious breach of protocol under the best of circumstances, an act of war under other circumstances.

His inner senses told him that he was in danger. He stopped and Chertal did the same.

He said in a quiet voice, “Get down slowly off your horse, keep your hands in plain sight and don’t make any moves toward your weapons.”

Chertal did as he was told and then they both sat cross legged on the ground. Vistyral waited but no one came. He reached is hand into his pack slowly and pulled out the bulletin about him from Mon Treel.

He held it up so it could easily be seen that it was not a weapon or other danger to anyone.

An arrow flew by pulling the bulletin out of his hand an impaling it on a tree nearby. As he watched a hand came from behind the tree, removed the bulletin and disappeared around the tree.

“Well, something should happen soon,” Chertal observed.

Vistyral nodded and watched the path ahead of him. He knew that the Elves would appear there. They were waiting for someone with enough diplomatic clout to welcome a duke and deal with the situation in a delicate manner.

Valedif, cousin to the king stepped out into the clearing with an escort of three. Elves had a custom of having two more in an entourage than their counterparts did, so Vistyral relaxed somewhat. He knew Valedif, and was as close to being his friend as a Man and an Elf could be.

While the three civilized races were united against the barbarians, they certainly were not close. At times there were skirmishes between their people, although their leaders would always punish those from their own side who were involved. Most of the time the Dwarves, the Men, and the Elves just left each other alone.

There were fewer Dwarves and Elves. There had been a treaty drawn up centuries before granting the Elven Woods as exclusive to the Elves, and the mountains of Vermath to the Dwarves. The Men who were much more numerous got all of the land southward. Drathmire lay to the north of all of them, desolate and dreary; but that was never agreed upon by treaty. A line of forts and other fortifications marked that border.

Vistyral and Chertal had broken the treaty. The fact that Vistyral felt he had a valid reason for doing so, could mean nothing to the Elves. If they felt his reason was valid, he could be forgiven; it could also be that he not be forgiven, and never allowed to leave the Elven Woods.

Valedif walked forward his expression unreadable. He stopped about two paces from Vistyral and spoke to him. “Why have you violated the sanctity of or homeland? Do you think that because you are a person of importance in the other world that you can do as you please here? Speak now as your life thread is in my hands.”

Vistyral nodded and bowed his head in a form of apology. “I entreat the patience and indulgence of the Majestic Captain of the hosts of Arborlea, the wise. I considered my mission to the People of the Forest so important that I could not risk further delay. I truly hope we can gain forgiveness for our intrusion and be allowed to complete the reason for our visit.”

“Do you expect us to believe that the mighty Duke of Cryarlac, Ambassador at large to the Races, and second son of the Great Lamercal, King of all Karrondor, is a fugitive?”

Vistyral dropped the formal language and spoke in the familiar tense this was allowed since he and Valedif had used this level of familiarity in the past. “It is complicated, if you allow me to explain, I think you will understand why I had to come when I did and how I did.”

He began to laugh but Vistyral knew that it was not from mirth, but sarcasm. When he stopped laughing, he gave commands in Elven to bind them. Vistyral knew what the command was but did nothing to show that he knew. One of his advantages in dealing with the Elves and the Dwarves was that he had the ability to learn languages, and that he had taken the time and trouble to learn their native tongues.

After they were tied they were placed on their horses and led into Arborlea. This was not exactly the way he had hoped to arrive. The captive of an Elf he had considered a friend. He would make Mon Treel pay for this disaster.

They were taken to a room that had a door that closed and locked. Next door was an Elf in a similar room. If Vistyral didn’t know better he would believe that this was a jail. Everyone knew Elves don’t need jails; they had no crime, at least as far as Vistyral knew.

They were brought dinner and had no visitors. Vistyral began to be uncomfortable. Things were not right in Arborlea; he could sense the disquiet all around him. He tried to get the Elf in the room next door to talk to him but he had no success there.

About sunset, visitors came. One of them was Valedif, the other was Landif. Landif was not wearing his normal kingly green clothes, he was wearing the tan and brown colors of a normal Elf. Vistyral suspected that he would soon have an audience in the court of the king and Landif wanted no surprises.

“Why did you enter Elven lands uninvited?”

Well, Landif was taking no time getting down to the basics. He held out his hands in the Elven custom of opening himself to the truth and waited.

Landif was pleased; he had not expected the duke to give him Elven homage. “You offer me your words of truth, when you know I cannot receive your truth. If you were Elf, I could receive your words of truth, willingly or not. You are not Elven born; I cannot receive even your given offering. Therefore your offering is insignificant except as a gesture of respect.”

“Have you ever tried to receive the words of truth from Men before? I doubt that anyone has ever offered you his words of truth. I now offer you mine, and I am willing to take the risk. If you would rather that I give my words to another, I will give them to whomever you designate.”

Valedif stepped to the door and spoke softly to Landif. “Cousin, let me try this thing. I have known this man for a long time. He told me why he had entered uninvited, I did not believe him but I would like to. It is my wish to find him truthful, however if he is being truthful, then the Men are having problems tantamount to our own.”

Landif nodded and turned to Vistyral; “You will give us your Words of Truth here, if we can receive them, and you are still whole, we will allow you to complete your mission.”

Valedif opened the door, Vistyral and Chertal followed. They went into a large pleasant room with Elven art on each wall. The art consisted of a plaque of wood with a sigil glowing within. One was a flame that looked very much like a fire in a fire place but no heat was being given, another looked like lightning, without thunder just the flashing of electricity. There were two cots in the center of the room. Valedif indicated the one on the right and laid down in the one on the left.

Vistyral closed his eyes and opened his mind to Valedif’s mind. He felt Valedif’s touch at first soft and then with more and more force. This was Vistyral’s first experience, it was important that he not close himself off to Valedif’s mind.

He thought of the events of the visit to Flageron he saw Valedif watching them. He let them play out the way they had in real life.

“This is not enough; show me why you were wanted by the High Priest of Karron.”

Valedif’s mind broke over him like a wave. At first he recoiled from the sound in his mind and tried to close off. After he regained control, he spoke in his mind to Valedif.

“What I have to show you is of great importance and privacy to me. I must have your promise of silence; can you give it to me?”

“If we feel that silence is warranted, you will get it, but not before we know what it is.”

Vistyral felt trapped, there was nothing he could do but wait and submit to Valedif. He again opened his mind and recounted the meeting with Mon Treel.

In addition to having another conscious sentient entity within his brain, it felt as though his brain was being ransacked. Valedif was looking throughout his brain, and while he was truly being gentle, Vistyral felt pain as the process continued. Abruptly, the contact ended. Vistyral opened his eyes and looked into the eyes of Landif and Chertal.

Landif spoke. “You will have a bad headache this afternoon. You did well for your first time. I am sorry that we had to view that meeting. Valedif and I are the only ones who will ever know about it. I know it was very painful for you to share. Family problems always hurt the most. Your brother is a disaster for your Father, your kingdom, and your life; I know I have met him. You should be in his place; if you were the world would be a safer place. If you ever need Elven help in fulfilling your destiny, we will do what we can.”

“A man has no destiny but that which he seeks out and defines for himself. No one will ever make me do something because they feel I am destined to do it. I will do what I do because I choose to do it, not because it is my destiny.”

“Well said, I would like the two of you to be our guest at the palace. Let us offer you food, shelter, and clothing; for in the granting to us your Words of Truth, you have become one of us.

I give you a new name, an Elven name which can only be used by you within the Elven woods. Meadowlea shall be your name among our people, meaning the land that feeds, or gives life. Your friend shall be Meadowin, meaning one who resides in the land of life; or your life in this case.

Only you gave us your Words of Truth, but, we know he would have as well had we required it of him. His love for you is great. This gift we give to you. We have examined his heart. You can trust him with anything, as he will never betray you.”

Vistyral realized that Landif had found somewhere within his mind his fear that he would never have the ability to share information with someone. His gift had been great.

“Did you read my mind when I gave you my words of truth?”

Valedif gasped. Landif spoke quietly, “That is forbidden. If I were to take that which was not offered, I would be worse than a woodcutter on the Mothertree. If I took more than what was offered, except in my role of a king in dealing with my subjects, I would be, should be, cast out nameless and without tree friends.

I took no words from Meadowin but looked into his heart and felt his devotion to you. If this was a concern of yours, then it is just a coincidence that I saw what the source of your concern was.”

Valedif took his hand. “You are now one of us; you have shared with us the Words of your Truth. I wish to make you my brother.”

He turned to Landif. Landif nodded his assent. Valedif removed his knife and cut a strip of vine which he handed to Landif. He then placed his left palm flat against Vistyral’s right palm and Landif tied the vine around their hands as he said in Elven, “This you do by choice. You become brothers, as if born by the same parents and not just for this life, but for all time.

Vistyral said in Elven, “So let it be written and done.”

Landif Echoed Vistyral’s remark and got an affirmative nod from Chertal.

“Welcome to the family cousin, you are now as closely related to the throne of Arborlea as is allowed; you are fourth in line to the Elven throne.” Landif said warmly.

Vistyral turned to Valedif and said, “Chertal is my witness that you also are now part of the Royal family of Karron. You are to me as if we shared my mother’s womb, and for eternity, not just for life.”

Valedif said “So let it be done, so let it be written.”

Valedif and Vistyral repeated that last phrase and Chertal recorded the incident in Vistyral’s log. They were then taken as state visitors to the palace and shown every courtesy. As he left them at their door, Landif said “Tomorrow, maybe you can help me with a problem that seems to have developed here recently.”

Once inside their rooms in the MotherTree, Chertal spoke. “I thought that no one but an Elf was ever allowed to even touch the Mothertree let alone have a room within it.”

“After what happened today, we are Elves in every sense of the word except biologically. When I allowed them to read my mind, I placed them in my debt. Since no Man has ever allowed an Elf to do this, it not only made their debt load large, it honored them that I would allow it. I also had to share with them, information that was very personal and private. That also increased their debt to me but further honored them. That information, which I will shortly share with you, could mean my very life. Since I shared it with them without conditions, I placed them in my debt beyond what they could ever repay.

Valedif is a human of honor. He realized that I would now have to share this information with you. If the information ever got out to whom I spoke to in the City of Karron and the topic of that conversation, even though I refused to discuss it, my title, my name, and even my life could be forfeit. By accepting me as a brother, he gave us an alternative life if something were to happen to us to make us fugitives in the world of Men. We are accepted in the world of Elves as nobles and can come and live with them for as long as we like.”

“What was it you discussed my lord?”

“I had a secret meeting with a certain High Priest of Karron.”

“Was this high priest Mon Treel?”

“Yes, good guess.”

“Not really my lord, there is only one High Priest of Karron.”

“Thank the Gods that there will only be one of them! He had some information that he wanted to share with me without revealing his source as to the poor intents and malevolence of my older brother. He wanted me to rise up and overthrow him as soon as father dies because he had a vision that my brother could ruin the kingdom and the world.”

Vistyral paced around the floor, looked up at Chertal and then down at the floor.

“I didn’t need Mon Treel’s prophesy to tell me that my brother will destroy the kingdom. I have had a vision of my own. A dream actually, it was not only the kingdom that my brother will allow to dangle as it were by a thread, but all of Mankind, Dwarvenkind, Elvenkind, and Giantkind. The whole civilized world will hang in the balance because of the avarice and need for power of a short sighted, undisciplined, man who should never rule.”

“I never felt the need before to tell you that I would never betray you or anything which you have told me or intend to tell me in the future. I thought that went without saying, but I was wrong.” Chertal knelt in front of Vistyral and placed his left hand over his heart. “I am, and shall always be yours to command. I pledge my first and most sacred bond to you, then to my country, and then to my king. Any information given to me by you or for your benefit will die unspoken on my lips rather than be passed on to one of your enemies. Your enemies are my enemies; your friends are my friends. If I must die in battle, may it be to preserve your life, if I must live in poverty, may it be to place you in your proper position in life. If I have children, may it be so as to serve your children and your children’s children. If I speak not the truth to you this day, may it be that the Gods of Karron smite me and my posterity to hell for eternity.”

“Arise my friend, I ask no pledge from you.”

Chertal stood and placed his hands on Vistyral’s shoulders and looked him in the eyes. “A pledge that must be asked for is not worth the time it takes to hear it proclaimed.”

“Thank-you my friend. Ever since we were boys, we have been friends. You by all rights should be Borrial’s champion. You would undoubtedly enjoy a calmer life style and a better living than you ever will with me.”

“A better living, possibly; a better life, I think not. Besides, I want to be on the winning side.”

Vistyral laughed, “What makes you think that we will win? If we have to do what I fear will need to be done, there will be no real winners except maybe Borrial’s children. I do not want the throne or any part of it but if taking it, will save lives and property, I will do so.”

Chertal laughed with him. “You forget I grew up with the both of you. You may have fooled Borrial into thinking he is a superior person, but you haven’t convinced me; and I hope you haven’t convinced yourself.”

“No I haven’t convinced myself one way or the other. I try to be honest in all my dealings, even with myself.”