Part Fifty-Eight
By night, Fei's coughing and sneezing was keeping others awake and Kato seemed to have lost his voice. It was drizzling, foggy and cold. There were Orc signal fires close to the north and burning through the fog from the east. Dog wheezed and remained half asleep. There was barely enough clean water for washing wounds and drinking. They had run out of their supply of clean bandages and diapers and used cloth could not be washed without more water. Lenaduiniel had lost her knives and her boots to the Orcs, along with a gown, and this only served to further depress her mood. Tsuki worried that his wounded arm showed signs of infection and seemed to the others obsessed with making strange potions that only served to further irritate his skin and make him cry out in pain.
No one was feeling well. Galadhiel was conscious, but in great pain. Duma complained of feeling achy. Laurel and Gwindor had argued over how to cook the meal and had overturned the teakettle, thus wasting more water and angering Kato, who hoped a warm drink would restore his voice. Beryl whimpered and called out in ancient Elven dialects as he slept and dreamt of past war and cataclysm. Tashmetum had nothing to wear and she had just vomited on Ugarit's kilt. Even the horses seemed listless.
A Wizard in a distant hiding place looked into his gazing crystal and saw their strange fellowship struggle to pack and continue south.
The Silver Wood was only very recently an Elven realm. In the history of Man's memory it had been first a fair realm ruled over by one of two brother-kings, which hosted one half the capitol of their kingdom, which straddled the great river. It had in time become a contested land and then fouled and overrun by the Dark Lord, his minions, and allies, but never abandoned by its former rulers. Men loyal to their Steward and Kingdom had dug a secret network of tunnels and hidden bases in the region, for the purpose of resisting the Dark Lord. When their war had ended, though Men did not abandon the region, their King made its caretaking the welcome duty and honor of his close ally, one of the Wood Elves. This Elf chanced to be the younger brother of both Gwindor and Lenaduiniel. So, coming into site of the place where wetland gave way to firmer earth that supported trees, shrubs and many plants and grasses, they were not certain who and what they would find, other than some presence of their kindred.
The Lords Forhrondo and Khyarhrondo ordered those of their hosts to conceal themselves, as they had no plot or orders to attack travelers upon the road, even if they were those escorting the Halfling. They were skilled at camouflage and their beige skin painted with plant dyes, leaf-woven hair and garments of beaten bata cloth rendered them virtually invisible even when they left the tunnels Men had abandoned, even when Elven eyes looked upon them. It was common among their people to have silver-blond hair, or else the deep brown that was common among Elves, and these colors blended well with the winter-bare trees.
This area, though called a wood, was unlike the homeland Lenaduiniel or Gwindor remembered. There many ancient evergreens stood among other trees, so that even in winter there was cover of foliage and one could walk from tree to tree across the branches at any time of year. Here there were old trees but they were sparsely placed, evidence it seemed of felling for the war effort on one side or the other. Now there were also saplings among them and the shrubs alongside the road seemed as healthy as any in Elven realms and were those that had most edible or useful parts.
The species of trees to be found seemed to suggest the association with the moon had not in history been purely by chance, as white or grey bark seemed common, and eerily lit by moonlight. The strait of land between the mountains that rose like a great fence of shadows to the east and the waters of the river flowing to the west seemed to invoke the moon, with its tides and phases of light and dark. Here, even the river cut a curved path that gave the land a roughly crescent shape on maps.
Kato's maps showed the main trade road cut through the ruins of the capitol of ancient times. The ruins now declared a memorial to all who had in history died in defense of the city and kingdom, the primary Mannish settlement was Eldsbridge, a minor town just east of the ruins, where travelers coming along the crossing trade road from the south might meet those coming from the west and the east. The road continued east from Eldsbridge into the mountains and toward the place which had been the seat of the ancient brother-king that ruled the region, the Tower of the Moon, but the tower there was no more. In the years of conflict, it had become a dark place and when the war was ended, the new king had ordered the structure there torn down; even the foundations had been removed and hauled away. In present times the road east of Eldsbridge served only to allow trade with the Freemen, those peoples subjugated by the Dark Lord and made slaves in his realm; now they were the inheritors of that mountain-fenced land.
There was another Mannish settlement worthy of mention to be found in the hills located south of the trade road that crossed the river to bisect the crescent. Those hills were known as the Royal Hills, and as the king had given governorship of the northern half of the Lands of the Moon, governorship of the southern half of the crescent had been give to the young Lord from the line of Stewards.
No one in the party expected they would meet with the Lord Royalhill or his Horse-lord-born wife, as they suspected Kato was leading them to Eldsbridge. The White had suggested it and Tsuki had no reason now to doubt his guess was accurate. They should continue the remainder of their journey in Elven territory.
They progress was slow and they had not as yet encountered any Elves. They had seen signs of seemingly wild flora being cut back for the winter and they had found a covered well with a surround of flagstone held in place by living moss between the flags. The water level had been low, but the water clean; they had a little beyond what they needed for drinking, but not much more.
Also, they had seen signs of past conflict. Lantern light reflected off axe heads embedded in thick old trees. Keen eyes could pick out arrowheads among the pebbles on the road. The Elves tended to bring pebbles and chips of stone to the road to prevent it turning to mud in wet seasons. It made no large difference to boots, but it presented a danger to shod horses, as small stones might become wedged beneath the shoe and cause lameness.
Dale called for the others to make a stop. They had switched positions again. Gwindor and Beryl walked at the front of their line, while Kato rode upon Brethil just behind them. Those who were injured or feeling ill rode, while others who felt stronger walked alongside, watching for friends as well as foes.
When the horses had been halted, Tsuki dismounted to check the two on the stretcher again. Dale called for Ugarit to come to him. She glanced down to see that Dog still breathed and then walked along the line to Dale. "I need to ask you what you wish," Dale said to her. "I think that it would be dangerous for Dog to travel without one skilled in healing and I fear the Orcs would eat any horse that hauled his stretcher. Other than abandoning him, which I promised Marduk I would not do, all I can do is keep him with us, but you and Tashmetum do not have to stay, if you do not wish to."
"You wish me to leave?"
"If you could stay, you could be helpful in guarding Dog and also..." Dale shook his head. He had almost said that the Elves would probably reject Duma and having Ugarit about to see and speak with might help him, but Dale wanted to believe the Elves might not reject Duma, even if Elves often had rejected Dale as one of them. "Thus far, we have kept the secret. No Men that we have met know of the female Orcs. We might try to hide that you are female or an Orc, but I am not certain either will be successful."
"If I stay, they may also see Tashmetum."
"Yes. It depends who we meet here. In my experience, Elves are very social with each other, but they also tend to be discreet, almost secretive about their personal lives and it would not be unusual for a child to be hidden away from strangers. We could say she is an Elven baby and simply keep her concealed. You we can not so easily hide."
"Will you hide Duma?"
Dale saw Duma watching them from his horse and then turned to hide his lips as he spoke to Ugarit in whisper. "I sense that he takes pleasure in showing others what a horrible Elf I am to conceive such half-breed children."
"Nimrod the Fool was almost wise in hiding him. Orcs that see him now do not especially like him, and it is only partly because he has given you his loyalty."
"The Elves will likely seem pleasant and mannerly to him, but they will not really accept him, I think."
"But you are an Elf and even if they hate you, the Orcs accept you to be a Chieftain, they do. They call you 'Elf' to insult you, because they can. They would find another insult, if you were not an Elf. Are Elves more hateful than Orcs, that they cannot accept one who is already half kin to their breed as their own?"
"A Half-Elf with a Man for father they would welcome as one of their own. One with an Orc...parent...I am not certain they would welcome. However, I did not ask to speak of Duma. What would you have me do? I am one Chieftain among Orcs, but I am no Elf-Lord. It is your secret to protect."
"Perhaps we should ask advice of one who is more Elven."
Dale called to Lenaduiniel, and when she came, Beryl also did. He asked Dale what was at issue that they must stop.
"The Elves do not yet know there are female Orcs," Dale said. "What do you think we should do?"
"Dale, do not worry. It shall all be taken care of. I will not let anyone in this party be mistreated."
"I do not think that Elves realize that there was ever a lack of Orc females," Lenaduiniel said plainly. "Before I met Dale and learned of his association with Orcs, I knew very little of them but that they somehow bred quickly, were said to do foul things to those they captured, and they had been the enemies of Elves for ages. I suppose we expected they had females hidden away in caves somewhere."
"Really?" Dale asked.
"I used to think they were like ants," Beryl admitted.
"Weak little ants?"
Beryl smiled at Ugarit. "You have not ever lain and made a close study of ants. They are highly organized creatures, with a social structure that is determined by their nature. Some are developed to reproduce and many others live only to work and never to continue the population on their own. Some ants take slaves from other ant colonies or species to serve in their colony. Some capture aphids and raise them as Men do cattle for milk. They have one female that lives only to lay eggs and the rest of the ants will fight to protect her. I thought that perhaps Orcs were like that. I thought they must have females of some sort. Maybe, I thought, they might be more rare than males, as with Dwarves. I thought each Clan of Orcs must have at least one female hiding in a cave somewhere and that she somehow was able to quickly produce more Orcs. The ant theory seemed to fit."
"Yeah, yeah, and if you stick a blade of grass into one of their mounds you can pull it out covered with ants and have a decent meal. What are we to do about Ugarit?"
"Ants? You did not learn eating ants from Orcs. We hunt for larger prey. There is no meat in ants."
"I was quite mad when I killed my Clan," Dale said very quietly, "but I have been recovering a long time, and I tell you ants are no more deserving of mercy than rabbits or deer or Elves, and they do not taste very bad."
"Death-shadow," Ugarit hissed as if in a curse. She crouched then near Dale's feet. "It is you the Elves will not except."
"Really? Think it obvious do you?" Dale asked, voice warbling.
"Dale, be calm. Whoever we meet, I think they shall approve of a boy who enjoys nothing better than sitting near a fire crafting jewelry." Beryl laughed. "What is not to like about that? As for Miss Ugarit," he pronounced her name as Kato would, "I believe she is able to take care of herself. Can you not?" Beryl smiled most charmingly.
"Yes!" Ugarit leapt up, drawing her knife from her hip as she did. "If any nasty Elf shows me poor manners, I shall see that he is punished!"
"Or she," Dale warbled.
"Yes. We must show mercy to females when on the attack, but in defense, no more mercy to a female that has made herself an enemy than to a male beside her!"
"Truly?" Lenaduiniel asked, "I think some Orcs need to learn that lesson." She turned to go to her horse.
"I think she has been taught. Duma said you even used a letter that only Elves write! She deserved the punishment, yet she was merciful compared to Damkina. That one threatened to break me with her knife handle!" Ugarit snorted a laugh. "I shall raise her daughter better."
"This is really more information than I need," Beryl said. "Shall we continue our journey then?"
"Unless you need feathers to make new arrows," Ugarit said, "Can I shoot down some of these birds for you?"
"Don't kill...!" Dale started, and then he looked up. The trees nearby were full of blackbirds; he could hear them now he listened and looking now he could see their silhouettes clearly. "I did not notice so many of them when we were moving."
"They are like a full covering of leaves upon the winter branches. It seems an ill omen," Lenaduiniel said. "You did not call them, Dale?"
"No!"
"I remember only three seemed foul when I traveled to the fort with you."
"Our party is larger now. Move on! Quickly," Dale said, but quietly. "This flock has not come to bring me any news. They only gather where there will be death."
"Keep to the road," Beryl advised, "do not move with weapons drawn."
Ugarit sheathed her knife and scampered toward the rear of the line, still favoring her injured leg. A dart struck the road just past the spot she had moved from, but it went unnoticed in the noise of hooves on gravel.
They traveled on, quickly as they dared hauling the stretcher, and without speaking among themselves. They heard only the sound of night birds, until Gwindor spoke. "Do not move. We are being watched." He gave a whistle then, like a bird call, and after a short interval, another whistle came, and it seemed then to the others that the sounds they had been hearing had not come from birds at all, but from Elves.
"I expected you would have a guard on us sooner," Gwindor called out in the Sylvan dialect.
A lantern was lit beside the road and several Elves walked toward them, one in the group bringing the lantern. Other Elves of the Silver Wood closed in around the horses in darkness and then one called out in the same dialect that was familiar to Gwindor and Lenaduiniel, "Stay your weapons. It is our own Elf-Prince!"
"I hope we are well met, Denelas," Gwindor said, recognizing the speaker. There were two others in the road with him now and all were male and seemed youthful as Elves did and dressed in the height of Wood Elf fashion. This was to say they had an appearance alike to Rangers, as Rangers had adopted the more functional aspects of their garb, but they were inevitably cleaner and better groomed while the clothing and gear were more finely crafted.
"Of course. We heard you went to join the Rangers. The latest news is your sister left home to seek you and then somehow eluded the Rangers. They have really run afoul of our Elf-King this time...sending us queer prisoners to safeguard, leading our Lord on perilous quests, keeping you from home, he says, and now loosing his daughter."
"I did not know I was supposed to be in their keeping," Lenaduiniel said.
Denelas quickly bowed and then those with him. "Forgive me, My Lady! They are the words of your father, not I."
"No doubt. I must ask you to forgive me, Good-Elves, for it seems in my time away from home there have been too few ladies to remind night wardens that it is rude to keep females, children and injured waiting in the chill air. I do not suppose your young Lord is actually within his realm. Is he?"
"No, My Lady. Your younger brother is away. Forgive me, but your company seems most strange and the Lord has charged me with protecting Elven life and property here."
"Forgive my interruption," Beryl said, and then lowered his hood and made an elegant bow. The three Elves before him actually sighed, Beryl seemed all that was thought good in an Elf, and he did not speak their Sylvan dialect, but Common Elven, with an accent that made it sound much more ancient and proper. "And please for give my travel-worn appearance..." The other Elves assured Beryl that he did not appear rough to their eyes. Beryl paused for effect after they were finished and then introduced himself, calling himself "Lord Beryl of the Green Elves" and even giving the name of a homeland, which any educated Elf would know had not existed in ages.
Lenaduiniel sighed, thinking this was likely just the way her father had become Elf-king. She was not upset with Beryl at all, but disappointed in her fellow Wood Elves for lacking pride in their own kind such that they could be so dazzled.
"Shall we continue walking as we speak?" Beryl asked and then began walking, and placed a hand on Denelas's shoulder to lead him before any could give him an answer. "I do not recall if I have met your Lord, but I expect we have some mutual friends now. I knew his father in his youth, however."
"You are acquainted with our Elf-King?"
"Of course. Now, I respect your need to protect Elven interest here, so firstly, let me say that I vouch for all in our rather queer company. That said, I ask you to understand that we have lately been forced off a ship mid-river, trekked through wetlands and been harried by Orcs."
"You have been battling Orcs? Do you bring us Prisoners then? We have heard drums. We sent scouts but they have not yet returned."
"Your scouts are dead," Dale said.
Beryl acted as if he had not heard Dale and called back, "Duma, what do the drums say?"
"Something about two dead Elves. If they repeat the message I may be able to tell you more."
"They found two Elves killed by many arrow shots, but there are no arrows in the bodies, and the Orcs think other Elves will assume they did it and await orders from a Chieftain."
Beside Ugarit another Elf lit a lantern. He looked at her and then called to the others in their native dialect, "Do you see? She is an Orc, but female. Have you ever seen a female Orc?"
"What does she say?" Denelas asked.
"I am afraid your two scouts are dead. The Orcs claim they only found the bodies and did not kill them. Have you noticed any strange events lately? Signs of foes?"
"We watch the road here, and to our south and also the river. There
are traders, but there has been no violence. In the past there were Orcs
appearing throughout the wood, and then there were some traders attacked
by Orcs in the northern part of the Wood, but recently there have been
no such troubles."
"If it is safe, we should attempt to retrieve the bodies to..."
Tsuki began, speaking in Elven.
Beryl quickly cut him off and continued, "Give them proper rites, of course. Tell me, did your Lord charge another with restoration efforts as you have been charged with protecting the community?"
"Yes. One of the Grey with us, Caratathren."
"I thought that might be the case. She is my daughter."
"Your Daughter, My Lord? I did not know. I know her on polite terms only, of course, but I did not know she had surviving family."
"Do not fault her. I often go wandering without telling her when I may return, so she deems it best not to speak of me when I am away."
Denelas was thinking that Caratathren was unseeming like a lady for one with such an obviously noble father, but he said nothing of it. "What is your business here, Lords?" he asked both Beryl and Gwindor, who walked either side of him.
"We are not at liberty to say specifically," Gwindor said firmly.
"But we shall have many introductions and tales to tell as soon as we have been offered baths, rest and a meal."
"Of course! We will see to accommodations straight away! This seems a good as excuse for a feast as any, but preparation will take some time, as we will have to wake those skilled in cooking. We have no servants here, as you may be accustomed to, but all do their share of work. Allow us to bring you some small meal such as we may quickly prepare to tide you until the feast."
"You likely have a few houses here for visitors who are not accustomed to Elvish lifestyle," Beryl said.
"Yes, one is presently occupied by some Dwarven entertainers, but there is another we may offer you."
"Singers and Sons of Gib?" Gwindor asked.
"Yes. There is not much call for Dwarven singers in an Elven settlement, but we have given them what hospitality we may, as our Lord looks kindly on Dwarves."
"Those three in particular are kin to a Dwarf that died defending Lenaduiniel and myself. Treat them kindly, even if it offend your ears to do so."
"Show us first to this guest house, we should like to put some of our injured there for their rest and safety. The rest of us will take what hospitality you may offer."
"We have many who come to work in the restoration for a season and then leave, so we keep many rooms with couches in the Elven manner and maintain common bathing pavilions for male and female throughout the year, in order to accommodate our volunteers. There is space in the trees and also on the ground."
The came first to the house. It was an octagonal structure with a foundation of fieldstone, thatched roof supported by roughly hewn wooden columns and walls of daub over wooden lathing. Denelas bid one of the Wood Elves hang a lantern from the hook beside the door and then opened the door and shone the lantern he carried inside. There was a circular hearth at the center of the interior, woven mats upon the earth floor, one table set with six chairs, and six bed constructed of wooden frames strung with cordage, which supported mattresses stuffed with soft plant fibers.
Dale carried Dog inside and laid him on one of the beds. Tsuki instructed Duma that he should take Ugarit and Tashmetum inside and stay in the house. Ugarit took the baby from Kato and they entered. Tsuki was already within, checking on Dog's condition. Dale and Beryl were standing with Denelas near the center of the room. "There is dead wood enough to build a fire, and we will see that they have food for the night, but they need water for washing and drinking."
"Washing..." Denelas whispered. He looked at Duma as he was studying the supply of wood with mind to build a fire. Denelas recognized that Duma was not like any Orc described to him, but he was not ready to see that he was halfelven. "Of course. We can bring water here. There are wells and cisterns, but the level is low sometimes in winter, so we move water from the river and store it in barrels. I will have several delivered by dawn."
These Orcs are injured and we care for them for reasons of our own," Beryl explained, "They will not be hostile so long as they are treated well. This one is Duma and he speaks Common Speech with only a slight accent and will understand some Elven if you speak it patiently. Have your elves address him if they have business at this house, and instruct them that they must allow him to move through your settlement, as he may have need to reach another of our party. The other will remain in the house each night and come out as they may by day to do chores or meet with us, if they are not too ill or pained." Beryl saw Denelas nod, reluctantly and then looked to Duma. "You understand?"
"I understand, My Lord," Duma replied in Elven.
Denelas was shocked that the Orc also spoke the language. He watched Duma as he set his carved-rind lantern on the table and lit the candle within.
"I see that Dog is no worse or better than before," Tsuki said, "I will prepare a broth for him as soon as I am able. Ugarit, will you please feed him when I deliver it?"
"I will nurse him as you say, but you must tell these Elves we need to go to water to wash, relieve ourselves and launder all the garments, diapers, bandages, and bedding soiled by mud or care of a little one."
Beryl understood her request. Most of their party was accustomed to her accent. He explained to Denelas in most polite terms how they might accommodate Ugarit's requests. Denelas showed them that a section of mat could be lifted to reveal a wooden door and a cellar beneath stocked with wares. Also, he opened one of the three pairs of shutters and showed them there was an outhouse nearby. He promised he would deliver some supplies they might use with the barrels of water, such as soap.
Beryl spoke to Denelas again, saying, "Can you tell me which cluster is nearest this house and if there is room there for two or more guests? This Elf here is warden to these Orcs and should be close by, also, this Eastman is Apprentice to The Brown and acts as healer to them and may need to reach them quickly, as this one is badly injured."
Denelas could not hide that he felt it most strange that anyone would want to shelter and nurse Orcs, but he supplied an honest answer, "The nearest hearth-share is maintained by Galadhspin the Treeweaver, I can only wake him and ask if there is room." Denelas looked at Dale then. "Have we not met on some occasion?"
"If you know Gwindor and his, then you are from the Green Wood and likely saw me during the war, as I was dispatched by my Elf-Lord to aid your people."
"Of course, I thought red hair so rare. I did see you there. Orc-Killer they named you. Strange you are warden to these Orcs."
"True he has slain many Orcs, but though he has lost his Elven name, it would be better to address him as Dale Maple. He has suffered much to make a study of Orc-kind and his knowledge and report with them may son be invaluable. Have you not had news of the Orc movements since the war?"
"Rumors only, except our own experiences with them, which I mentioned to you earlier."
Beryl tied Snaga outside the house and then he and Gwindor explained briefly to Denelas how many remained in their party and how they would suggest they be arranged within the clusters of guest chambers about the various communal hearths. It was decided then that Galadhiel would be taken to their House of Healing, Gwindor and Lenaduiniel would be set up in their brother's residence, Beryl and Kato would be taken to the hearth-share where Caratathren lived, and Dale, Tsuki, Laurel and Fei would stay in the cluster maintained by the Treeweaver.
Denelas escorted Galadhiel, Gwindor and Lenaduiniel to their quarters and other Elves helped to carry their gear. The remaining horses, but for Moon-halo and Moon-shadow and Nightmare were to go with Beryl. Some Elf was assigned to lead Kato and him to his daughter's chamber. Another Elf of the Silver Wood, named Loriol, was to remain until he saw that the guests had been made comfortable in some chambers.
"I think perhaps this is one of the few residences that is more beautiful in winter than in any other season, as one can see the intricate spin of branches," Loriol said as they came to the Treeweaver's residence. "It is quite amazing what they accomplished in two growing seasons, but I understand Vale Elves are masters of this Sylvan art."
"There are Vale leaves here?" Dale whispered.
"Only Master Galadhspin and his younger brother," Loriol answered, "Do you know of their line? Cut back by Orcs some twenty winters past, I think. They tell me they sometimes here of other surviving males, but never females."
"I have never learned of any surviving females; I am also of the Vale." Dale paused and then said, "Perhaps we might call at some other residence."
"Dale," Loriol lifted his lantern and reached to touch Dale's face as he looked upon it. "You have a smudge of mud upon your cheek, or I might have noticed. I see it in the ears." Loriol then looked into Dale's eyes, and what he saw there made him withdraw his hand from Dale's ear. "Forgive me." He lowered the lantern. "However you survived, the Vale Elves here shall only be glad to meet you. They would be offended if I called at any other cluster asking for you to be taken in." Loriol then went to a tree where there hung a cord with attached decorative pull. He drew the pull down gently and a bell chimed above.
Several Elves soon appeared above in their nightclothes and looked down over the railing formed of woven branches. Loriol called up and announced that he had guests that needed housing and that some of them were Men.
"Hello," one called, "We will be down to greet you shortly."
Dale had not long lived among Elves, but he did understand some aspects of the culture and even the differences in lifestyle between those in the Wood and Elves that lived in other realms. The Elves would not allow Men to see them in their nightclothes and would always maintain a more impersonal attitude when other races were about. "Loriol, please tell them not to go to more trouble than necessary. Let them know that Tsuki, our Wizard apprentice is considered an Elf-friend and well versed in our culture. It would be well enough for them to relate to Tsuki and I the terms for our stay, and we will relate the information to our companions. It will be easier as they do not speak Elven and your accents may also seem strange to them, however lovely."
Loriol smiled and then called up to explain the situation. The Elves said Loriol might show them up. He led Tsuki and Dale to a ladder constructed of wooden rungs linked by rope. They came then to a wooden platform built in the trees, perhaps seven feet above the ground. This central area was bordered by bridges and planks that led to chambers for sleeping or storage and in the center of the common space there was a hole with a wide metal dish suspended within it, housing coals from a previous fire.
Tsuki spoke a formal greeting in Elven and then bowed. "My name is Tsuki Eru," he said, "I am at your service, and apologize for waking your household so early and appearing so travel-worn. My companions below are Laurel Po of the Western Lowlands and Fei Shih Lung, a scholar of an eastern kingdom. You will find them willing to help with chores as they are able during their stay, once they have had a little rest and opportunity to refresh themselves."
"You speak fairly. I am Tigh Galadhspin and this is my brother, Lain, and my wife, Gwende, and Alqua and Arë of the Golden Wood." The last two had not come into the common area, but looked on from their chambers wrapped in bedclothes. "But I am most interested to make your acquaintance. You are a Vale Elf, are you not?"
"I am. Dale Maple is my name now."
"Tigh, it is he, look at his coloring. You remember. He was even younger than I then, but he has grown."
Tigh glanced to his brother and then to Dale. "Yes. The son of the Treetappers. I had taken Lain to trade with the Halflings when the massacre took place. I remember we met some Dwarves that lived in that area, and we got along well enough with them and heard news of the attack. How did you survive?"
"The treetappers son is dead; I am a ghost."
Tigh looked horrified, and then, pitying. He understood that however Dale had survived, it had been in a most mean fashion and here was an Elf who had grown heartsick and yet lived. "Forgive me."
"Dale is weary from traveling. He would feel better after a bath and seem more fitting company, but as one who has come to know him well, I feel I must explain that he does understand your curiosity is natural and kindly meant, but all the same, he takes no pleasure in speaking of those times. If you remember him, then you know his age at the time of this massacre. I understand that it is a young age for an Elf. A formative and impressionable age...fragile in a way. He did not know or live among elves for many years afterward, but I cannot say more than that. The rest is for Dale to say if he wishes so."
"It is a beautiful house," Dale whispered. "Truly beautiful." He turned and went to touch a living part of the structure.
"We have one chamber here and two more below," Tigh said.
Tsuki bowed again. "Dale is most comfortable in trees. I shall go below. Laurel and Fei are wed, so they may share a room. The horses belong to Dale and I, but they will be little trouble I hope. I will soon wash them and groom them."
"We can speak more after you have washed and rested. I think Lain
can show you to the bathing pavilions."