Chapter Two

Sitting alone outside the Prince’s tent, Ariana sighed and looked up at the darkening sky. The moon was high above, it’s light just beginning to shimmer across the battle torn meadows. By Nyrentian, the Life Giver, the land was massacred. Bodies lay as far as the eye could see; some of the corpses were not dead, some of those soldiers were moaning and crying out for help… help that would not arrive.

Ariana felt a twinge of guilt for those Humans, to die for your King, not completely understanding the war was either brave or stupid of them… she couldn’t decide which. This war didn’t surprise her at all, Humans had always been destructive, destroying that which they didn’t understand. Elves had been their first target to eliminate.

Hundreds of thousands of lives had been lost to the war that had started when the Humans had arrived in Elven occupied lands. At first, the Elves had been open and friendly towards the Humans, gifting them with lavish gifts and advanced crafting techniques. After hundreds of thousands of years of living peacefully amongst other Elves and the creatures of the Land and Magic, what did they have to be worried about?

The Humans were happy and greedily accepted those gifts as a miser might hoard their last coin. But soon, these gifts were not enough… they wanted more and were threatening to start a war. The Human Kings met with the Elven Royal Couple, they demanded more gifts and payments of precious stones. At first, the Elven Royalty Couple were reluctant, but in the end, they gave into these demands; peace, after all, was the desired outcome.

Soon, despite the outrageous payments the Elves paid these Humans, they were unhappy. The war had started swiftly, thousands of Elven lives had been lost within the first few days.

Ariana closed her eyes as her memories returned to that fateful day she lost everything that had ever meant something to her. At times, she wished she could be like the Humans, to remember your memories, but not with complete clarity. As an Elf, certain key memories were crystal clear to her, she could recall even the vaguest details of these memories.

The day she had lost her mate and her Queen, her Grandmother was forever burned into her memory…

The day shouldn’t be this nice, Ariana thought to herself, they were going off to war, why couldn’t the day be ugly? Fear struck her as she thought of her dearest Xhal riding into war. Her gaze went to her mate, he stood beside Queen Xilithara’s personal guard, Xentara. The two males held their helmets against their sides, revealing their Elven features.

As if sensing her gaze, Xhal turned his head and met her gaze. He briefly looked at Xentara, gave him a curt nod and approached Ariana.

Oh, by Nyrentian, the Life Giver, his eyes were grave looking. He stopped a foot or so away from her, the sun causing his armor to sparkle slightly.

He parted his lips, but she quickly put her finger against them, preventing him from speaking. She spoke in Elven, her mother tongue. “Before you speak, Xhal,” she spoke softly, but clearly, “tell me the truth. It is bad, is it not?”

He reached up and gently took her hand in his. She felt him squeeze her hand, his eyes filling with tears. His voice, once he spoke, was hoarse and dark sounding. “I will not lie to you, my love, this is the start of a war between the Elves and Humans.”

Ariana knew there was tension between the Elves and Humans, but war? Was war the answer? “Is there no way to prevent a war?”

“I am afraid not, the Queen has tried her best.”

As long as she lived, she would never forget Xhal’s eyes as he looked at her. Her mate’s eyes were so rare and beautiful, she had always felt blessed. His eyes were a bright yellow that usually sparkled with health and vitality. But as she looked at him, she wanted to weep. His eyes were now a dark orange, no longer were they alive with the sparkle of life, instead they were dimmed with the savageness that was to be his future.

“I hate this!” She whispered in anger and fear. “I don’t want you to go, it’s unfair!”

A sad smile tugged at his lips, “I must, Ariana. I am our General, I cannot avoid my duty to our people.”

Angry, scared, and confused, Ariana grabbed Xhal and wrapped her arms around him. Tears squeezed out between her closed eyelids, her tears leaving a line down her face. She felt his arms wrap around her, drawing her against his hard muscular body. Although they stood at almost the same height, almost six feet tall, he was broader of body structure.

Xhal slid a hand into her hair, gently gripping the silken strands. “I promise you, my Sparrow, I will forever be with you, and I swear upon my immortal soul, if it takes me ten thousand lifetimes, I will forever find my way back to you.”

“Please, Xhal…” She pulled back, her gaze finding his. “Please be safe, and know that I love you-”

She moaned as she felt his lips press against hers, his tongue quickly seeking entrance. He tasted of mint and spice, a heady combination that she had never tired of. It seemed like time had stopped and she wished it had, but reality came crashing in.

Her Queen came out of her private dressing room, a stern frown upon her face. “General Xhal,” the Queen spoke in that hard, commanding tone. “Are we prepared to leave?”

Xhal flicked his gaze to Ariana, but returned it quickly to the Queen. “Yes, my Queen. We have everything prepared and are ready to leave on your orders.”

Queen Xilithara looked at Ariana, her stern features softening slightly. “Ariana, I need a moment of your time.”

Fearful, but not wanting to upset her Queen, Ariana approached the much older female Elf. “Yes, my Queen?”

“I am leaving you in charge until your mother arrives home. Do you understand your duties?”

“Yes, my Qu-”

“Ariana,” the Queen chided softly, “you may call me Grandmother when we are speaking privately.”

“I’m sorry, Grandmother… I’m scared and I’m angry.”

A rare smile graced Queen Xilithara’s lips, transforming her features into something beautiful. “Do not worry, pray to Nyrentian, the Life Giver if you must, but do not drive yourself mad, child. Whether we live or die is not up to us, but up to fate and destiny. Trust in our God, Ariana. He will protect us.”

Some God, Ariana thought as she blinked to clear her vision. Despite her praying to the Elven Deity God for hours on end, both her mate Xhal and her Grandmother, Queen Xilithara had died brutally in battle.

“Excuse me?”

Ariana jerked around, everything inside her tensing in surprise and fear. A Human messenger wearing raggedy cotton clothing stood in front of her, dirt marring every surface of the poor male. “What is it?” She tried to hide the slight tremor in her voice, but those memories had slammed her right off balance.

The messenger reached into a small brown side bag, Ariana tensed her hand around the hilt of her sword, narrowing her gaze on the male. The male kept reaching into his bag, oblivious to Ariana’s tenseness. He produced two letters, the top one was sealed with King Jasper’s seal. “I have two messages, for Prince Roland and a Commander Ariana Mistwood.”

“You’re not a peasant.”

“Why… yes… I-”

“No,” she shook her head. “King Jasper would never hire a commoner to deliver such a delicate message. You are in his employ, disguising oneself to fool someone.”

A sudden, almost giddy smile appeared on the Human’s face. “Come on, Ari, guess who?”

“Are you kidding me?” She grabbed the “Human” and put her face within inches of his. “What are you doing here, Xhul? Are you trying to sabotage our Queen’s peace treaty?”  

 

“Please, Ari, am I really that scheming?”

Ariana made a sound of disgust as she released Xhul, setting him back a few feet. “I know exactly what you are, Xhul. What are you doing here?”

Before her eyes, Xhul shrugged, letting his disguise fall. The Human disguise melted away to reveal a handsome male Elf, his midnight black hair shimmering in the moonlight. His eyes let out a small illumination, casting Ariana in a soft green light. She looked away as his features solidified, even after nearly three thousand years, she’d never felt comfortable around him because he looked almost identical to his brother, Xhal.

“Well, see,” he scratched his cheek nervously, “your mother-“

“Our Queen,” she hissed in interruption.

“Fine, Our Queen had two choices: She either sent me or Trevalyn to deliver her letter. Guess who she chose?”

Ariana closed her eyes in frustration. The truth was, her Queen had made the right choice by sending Xhul, even if she herself didn’t like the very idea of it. Trevalyn was Ariana’s twin brother and had a deep profound hatred towards Humans; he would have tried to kill any Human the moment he set his eyes upon them. Despite the humorous and playful attitude Xhul had, he took his duties seriously and never failed to carry them out.

So while Ariana was uncomfortable in his presence, she felt reassured that her Queen had done the right thing. Xhul had no grudges or hate towards the Humans.

“I get it,” Ariana answered after a minute of silence. “The letters?” She held her hand up expectantly.

Xhul put the letters in her hand, his eyes locked firmly on her. “How are you doing?”

She ducked his gaze, instead focusing on the letter that was written in Elven, and more than likely from her Queen. “Fine, why do you ask?”

“Ari,” she felt his hand on her arm, the pressure was both familiar and unwelcome.

“Look, Xhul,” she gently pulled away from him, her gaze finding his. “I’m fine, alright? I’m here to do my duty, no more and no less.”

His green eyes darkened in sympathy, “You’re not fine.” A statement, not a question. “Just talk to me, Ari, I promise not to tell a soul.”

“What do you want me to say, Xhul? That I hate it here because of the Humans? That I would rather walk away and let them fend for themselves? They started this,” she motioned towards the fields of death, “why should I be here to protect their Prince? What do I care if some Human Prince dies?”

Xhul let out a sigh, “Isn’t it about time to let that hatred go, Ari? It’s been three thousand years since the Humans appeared and they’re still here. We aren’t going to survive if we keep this war going.”

Ariana straightened her posture as his words registered as a hot poker might against the skin. Despite the logic in his statement, indeed a statement he gave each time he saw her, she knew she had no room for forgiveness. Unlike Xhul, she had seen the wars firsthand. She knew the brutality and savageness that Humans were capable of.

“You had better head back to Alfhiem, it’s a long trip.”

“Ari-”

“Thank you for the letter, have a safe trip, Xhul.”

She turned away from him, dismissing him entirely. When she felt his presence lessen, she looked over her shoulder and watched him disappeared from sight. While she knew Xhul wanted to best for her, he could never understand what it felt like to look upon these Humans and remember the horrifying truth that was their history.

How could he understand when he hadn’t lost his mate and unborn child to these barbarians?

    

 

Author's Note

Not quite sure if this turned out good or not, but I would really appreciate the reviews. Thanks!