All characters and events in this publication, other than those clearly in the public domain, are ficticious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. The moral Right of the author has been asserted.
Chapter 7 Harold's Dilemma
"Dad? Dad! Are you there?" Harold called out searching through the trees. It was night time. Harold had been lost in the Eddar Woods almost two hours, frantically searching for a clue as to what has happened. One moment he was in a room, as a joke he put on a ring, and suddenly he woke up in the middle of a forest.
This is not the way things are supposed to work, his logic had reminded him of that several times.
"Fuck it all." Harold said out loud to no one in particular.
Sitting down on the forest floor, he started drawing pictures with a stick in the ground, it was seriously dark.
I should probably build a fire, he thought to himself.
Lucky his dad had forced him to be a boy scout when he was younger.
"Sure is paying off now." Harold spoke to himself.
"Dunno what the fuck is going on, but whatever, I've seen stranger things happen.
Need to find food, What was that noise?"
Strange sounds could be heard throughout the forest, not the normal hoot, and crickets you would have found on earth.
"Must be my imagination, really need to find food, thank god I ate before we left the house."
he thought to himself again.
"I must be somewhere in the woods near the house, just a little prank or so."
Harold started his little fire and gathered a few leaves to form himself a pillow. He lay on the ground staring into the fire and thought about all the strange things that had happened to him over the course of the passed few days.
He also felt something inside himself that he could not quite put his finger on. Every time he could it would just escape his mind once more.
Sleep was not really an option that night, despite being scared shitless, Harold's mind couldn't really switch of, tomorrow he will take on the elements once more.
Harold slowly opened his eyes, his back pained and he was thirsty.
He glanced around him and saw that it wasn't just a bad dream, everything really had happened to him.
Need to pee. Harold whispered to himself, while he was emptying his bladder he heard a stream not far in the distance and walked over to see it. It was just about a meter wide, but it would suffice.
Harold stripped off his clothes and submerged himself in the water. It was freezing. He took a few gulps of the water, hoping he won't get cholera or something, but when one is thirsty one will drink anything.
He washed all the gunk off of himself, and drip dried in the sun.
"This sucks, he thought to himself. Where the hell am I?"
Harold put his clothes on, and looked at his watch, he had a watch which his grandmother had bought him before she died, it had a tiny little compass in it.
Harold found north and made his way through the woods.
What seemed to be hours of walking, Harold looked at his watch, it was only 2 in the afternoon. He was so sick of squeezing through trees, climbing over huge fallen over trees.
Harold had cried most of the afternoon, thinking he was going to die here, every so often pinching himself to make sure he really wasn't dreaming.
"I can't give up, I will survive whatever this is!"
Harold tried giving himself hope, not yet really believing this is happening to him.
Dad will find me any moment now.
Any moment now.
He kept on walking, any moment, more walking, any moment...
He walked a bit more and heard something move in the distance. He crouched and walked a bit closer. He peeked through the foliage and saw people moving briskly through the trees. The people looked a bit strange though, the had big pointed ears sticking out from their heads, with no lobes, huge eyes, and most of them had long flowing blond hair. Harold looked up and saw bridges hanging from tree to tree and the strange people walking around. It took him awhile to compute that this was actually some sort of a town built into the trees. Moving slowly through the foliage he scanned his surroundings, he tried to be as incognito as possible. He looked at the creatures and found them to be mesmerizing. They were not aggressive whatsoever. The way they walked, the sound of their voices everything had Harold felling totally in love with them. He decided to walk up to one of them and see if they can understand him, they looked very human after all. Maybe they just came from Asia or something, yes Asia, they have weird people like this. Getting his guts together Harold walked up to the closest person he could find, he was standing there inspecting the leaves of one of the trees.
"I wondered how long it would take you to show your face." The guy said with a smile never even glancing around.
"How did you..."
"I can sense you, you really don't know a lot about the elven folk, do you?" The elf said turning around.
Harold was now standing next to him.
"The wha..?"
The elf gave a snicker, "The elven folk. Where are you from young man?"
"I'm from Alberta."
"Never heard of it. We are the Tree elves of Morin. I am Veruif, may I ask your name?"
"I am Harold... I don't understand whats going on. Where am I? I've been lost in this forest for a day now, and I don't even have any idea how I got here."
"That is strange. You are in Torandia? Does that ring a bell?"
"No. Not really."
A million things went through Harold's mind, the only place he ever heard of an elf was in Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter movies. Now he is apparently speaking to one. Looking around it wasn't hard to believe. Especially after all the weird things that had happened to him the last few days.
"I'm really too tired to give a damn right now Veruif, I'm hungry and lost. I really just want to get home."
"Well come, I have a lodging right here, you can sleep there for awhile, and I shall give you something to eat, although I don't think you will find it very appetizing."
"I don't care, just something to take the growl away will do."
Harold followed the elf to the foot of stairs carved up into a huge tree.
"Many a human has braced those stairs Harold, the heights re frightening for any normal human."
Harold saw it was quite a way up, never in his life have he seen trees that tall or big.
Keeping his front, not to look like a wuss, "Its not that bad, I've seen worse."
The elf gave a whole hearted laugh, "The Dwarf king came to visit once, he said the exact same thing, nearly had him in tears at one stage on the way up. We had to keep reminding him not to look down."
"Dwarf?" Harold asked to no one in particular.
"Come, we shall go to my home." Veruif said.
Handar followed him up the stairs. Once the were on one of the swinging bridges at the top, Harold looked around him. He saw a huge tree in the middle of what looked like a city of trees, the tree had a big clearing on one of his branches.
"That is the queens home. She and her king used to sit in that clearing and rule the elves. Since the elf-king died, the queen isn't quite the same, she has two children, Carlene her daughter, the princess, and Callik her son, the prince of the elves. If it wasn't for them I fear our precious queen would have lost it."
Harold barely listened to the elf, he was in awe of the beauty of the place he found himself in. each branch of each of the hundreds of trees seemed to glow, the air he inhaled was so fresh it almost burnt his nostrils. He saw elves everywhere going on what looked to be like normal business for them, picking berries, in the background he saw them on the ground working in their fields, elves standing around chatting, this was by far the most beautiful place Harold had ever seen.
"Harold? Do you not fright?" The elf asked seeing Harold gawk at everything.
Harold snapped out of it, "No this is the most beautiful place I have ever seen, but in the most alien way describable."
The elf smiled. "Come we shall go make you a feast, I love visitors."
Harold had thought of it that this creature could most likely kill him, yet the atmosphere he got from the elf was one of caring and genuine concern.
"Why do you help me Veruif?"
"Because it is the right thing to do, I told you, us elves have an innate sense of feeling, bordering right on the supernatural, I would have known if you were here to cause harm, yet all I felt was confusion and sadness, so it is in my nature to help you. Why would I let you go hungry if I have a cabinet full of food?"
The made their way through the trees om the bridges, occasionally going over the top of the trees.
"Here it is, please walk in here." the elf gave way into what looked like a big tree house.
Handar saw inside it was a smallish place, it had one bed, a door in to what he assumed was a bathroom, and a small kitchen. It looked like a big wendy house. Just more comfortable.
"This is a nice place you have." Harold said sitting down on a big pillow on the floor.
"Why thank you, its not much by human standards, but us elves tend to the more simplistic."
"I like it, Harold said, holding his legs against his body."
After Harold ate, he fell asleep on the pillow, Veruif looked at him and smiled. He knew he had to inform the queen of the lost Human, They would then send some of the best trackers to help him find his way, a human will go crazy if he stays in Morin to long, the spell weavers cast a protection on Morin so no one will ever be able to enter this city with malevolence, that is also why Veruif knew the Human meant them no harm, he would have gone crazy and wandered the woods aimlessly until a nymph or beast got him, or until he starved to death if the latter were to be his position.
Veruif closed the door behind him and made his way to counsel with the queen immediately.
He stood in front of the door to the tree-palace as the humans who have seen it refer to it.
Inside he saw the queen sitting at a big table going through scrolls. Though she only looked about twenty in human years, she was closer to the eight-hundred mark. Still a young queen learning the ropes, in elven years.
"My queen." Veruif said bowing down to Amelith the elf queen.
"Veruif, its been awhile, the queen said looking up from her work, what brings the Warmaster to my abode on this lovely sunny day."
"My queen, there is a human in my house, I have fed him, and he is busy sleeping, he seems to know nothing of elves or even Torandia, which I find strange, there is no malevolence, he is genuinely lost."
"Interesting, please take me to him. I would like to see this Human."
The elf queen followed Veruif back to his house. When inside she saw Harold sleeping on the pillow.
"He is definitely Human. But he is not of Torandia. When he wakes, make sure is is comfortable I will hold counsel with him in the morrow please bring him when the big shadow is at the waterfall."
"Understood." Veruif replied.
The queen went back to the palace and called the elders immediately, they came into the throne room to find a very distraught queen pacing the room.
"What is the matter mistress?" the eldest elf Francid asked.
Francid was the head of the elders, he looked about sixty years old, yet he was almost two hundred thousand years old.
"We have a human in Morin. I feel he is not from Torandia. His garb looks like that from earth. I fear he is a Toramdon eye, and there is only one this time."
"That would be a grave situation indeed. But Handar has already sent word that there is four this time."
"Four of them? That's good. Then who is this I have in my city?" The queen asked.
"Have you requested a counsel with him?" Francid asked.
"Yes in the morrow he will come see us, right after the morning meal."
"We shall see you then my queen." Francid answered and all four of the elders left the room.
Morning broke and and Harold woke with a start to the smell of pancakes.
"Good morning Harold, I trust you slept well?"
"Like a baby thanks Veruif. I never thought elves would know how to make pancakes..."
"You think this is a human invention? Hah, think again my friend! This is all elven."
"Okay...weird." Harold still expected to wake up to a dream, or have somebody burst in the room and say April fool!
"Listen Harold, you have a counsel with my queen in a while, first we eat, then you can go clean yourself in the wash room, then we will be off to see her."
"I am to speak to a...a...a queen?" All color drained out of his face.
"Indeed you are, any Human or other race to enter the Morin woods that survive are to hold counsel with my queen. There is always a deeper meaning why someone finds their way here, especially when unplanned." Veruif answered.
"The queen? Of your race? You want me to meet her. Like an actual queen?" Harold was flabbergasted.
"Yes, you must, you'll understand when we get there. She will be able to help you, As our way, she will call upon the elders, as a stray human is a very rare occurrence in Morin. Come we eat now."
The conversation stopped there, Harold was lost in his thoughts, he ate the pancakes, though it was the best he had ever tasted, he couldn't stop thinking of the queen he was supposed to meet right now. Will she show the same kind of courtesy that Veruif had showed him. What is he going to say to her? Things were happening very fast for Harold. He wasn't at all sure what was going on yet, and now he had to entertain the most important person of these strange people with the pointed ears.
Harold was standing in front of the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She had long flowing strawberry blond hair all the way down to her back. Huge blue eyes. She was sitting at a huge table in the middle of a big hall, what looked like two thrones was on a pedestal in the back of the room. The room was decorated with all sort of manner, plants, paintings, carpets, it was the most gorgeous room he had ever been in.
"Harold, I'm pleased to meet you", she said in a sing-song voice that sounded like an angel itself, she looked no older than twenty five.
Harold just stared at her.
She gave a soft, sweet giggle, like a young girl. She stood up from her chair and walked over to him.
"Harold, I'm here to help you, but you need to speak to me." She gave him a heart warming smile, and took his hand in hers.
"My lady. I am pleased to meet you." Though Harold knew it sounded cliché, it felt right to treat her in that way. He felt no disrespect for this woman whatsoever, which was strange for Harold, as nearly everybody irritated him.
She smiled.
"Please have a seat", and she took him to her table , showing him to a chair.
Harold sat down and took his two hands in each other.
"Veruif, If you'd be so kind as to call the elders, I think there is quite a tale to this boy."
The queen went back to some paperwork she was busy before Harold got there.
About five minutes of feeling awkward, and glancing around, sometimes catching the eyes of one of the female guards, she will smile at him.
The door suddenly burst open and four middle aged men ran into the room, one of them looked to be about sixty years old.
"Is this the boy?" The eldest said coming over to the table.
"Indeed Francid, and he is quite the shy boy."
Harold started to feel really awkward, as he was now the center of attention.
"Can we please get this on with, I don't like being discussed while I'm siting right here."
Harold started to feel like his old self again, not some awe-stricken little boy.
The queen looked a little taken aback, but smiled back at Harold.
"I do apologize Harold, I think it would be better if we could get to the bottom of your appearance as soon as possible."
The elders and Veruif took a seat, just then, when Harold thought he had seen the most beautiful creature ever, a young girl, looking no older than Harold walked into the room.
She had platinum blond hair, that hung down to her shoulders, her sea-blue eyes was the first thing you noticed when you look at her, and her rosy colored lips were all perfect in a very alien way. She took a seat right next to Harold.
"I would like you to meet my daughter Harold, this is Carline. The Princess of the elves." The queen said with just a bit op pride in her voice.
Harold immediately greeted the princess, it was as if they had known each other for years, he was so comfortable around her. They talked for a little while , exchanging pleasantries, not noticing the other fey in the room were looking at them.
Harold caught himself and turned back to the queen.
"I'm sorry my lady, I didn't mean to waste your time." Harold said.
"Hardly wasting if you ask me"... The princess commented."
The queen looked at them and smiled, "We are a patient race, a few minutes is not time waste for us."
"Let's continue." Francid interrupted them.
"Let's." The queen gave Francid a menacing look.
It was apparent to Harold there was something going on beyond his understanding.
But he decided to drop it, even though he was feeling a bit more comfortable around them, he was still lost in a strange place, and still didn't know what was going on.
The elf Harold came to know as Francid, began the questioning.
"Harold, please explain to us, in detail how you ended up in Morin."
Harold looked from one face to another, thinking about how alien they look.
"Well it all started at school. There was a boy named Mordain and I caught up with him at his locker, early the morning.."
Harold told the whole story of what had happened since that morning, not leaving out any details, he told them about the strange kids, with the magic, the dragons, how weird his dad was up until the moment he stood in Mordain's room and put on the ring.
The elves were listening attentively.
"So my dad ran into the room and because he was all weird with me the whole day, he totally freaked out when he saw me holding the ring, so as a joke I put the ring on. Then all I saw was a blinding white light, and I woke up in the middle of a forest. I slept the night on the ground and right after I woke up I found a little steam and washed myself, then I stumbled upon you lot, so as you can think I really am confused and I still don't know where I am!"
Harold rambled the last part, and he was on the verge of tears, the reality of the situation he was really in just dawned upon him all at once, before that moment, everything felt like a dream up to that moment.
"That is quite a tale, Harold, I believe you would like to go and freshen up, just follow that way, Carline please show Harold to the water-room. We will discussed what was just said."
The queen motioned her hand to a door at the back of the room.
Silence reigned until Carline was back in her chair.
"I'm sure we could have figured out what has happened there." Francid said.
"Yes, the real Toramdon eyes are back." The queen answered.
"I can't believe it's really that time of the millennium again, and to think, one got separated from the rest. This is a disaster, we need to get them re-united. But I think it will be a bit more difficult done than said, what it looks like is the other eyes isn't really going to like him."
"Steps need to be taken immediately, It doesn't look like he knows whats going on, I think we keep it like that, we will escort him to Kegh, he will need to speak to Rughnan, as I'm sure that old fart will enjoy seeing five Toramdon eyes in his reign of the Knights Templar, that is if what the child said is true and our assumptions are correct." Carline was talking with dominance in her voice. "Myself as the warmistress order this to be done immediately."
The queen shone of pride for her daughter, she was head of the war parties right next to Veruif who was the warmaster.
Veruif stood up and said, "I agree, we cannot let this go unattenuated, if there is even a remote truth in what he told us, the we need to get him safely to Rughnan, if he lied, leave it to Rughnan to decide what to do with him. For now, Myself and Carline will escort Harold to Kegh and deliver him safely to Rughnan. We will then return with news on what happened."
Harold came back into the room to find Carline and Veruif standing up.
"If that is the wishes of the war leaders, we as the elders agree. My queen, can we have your vote please?"
"I agree with my daughter, we need to get this child to safety, you will leave at once, and come back immediately after having delivered him to Rughnan. You will also take two additional guards with you, as the faun are restless in the forest of late, the Orcs have tried to attack us more often than usual as well, I urge caution. Also you will take the white steeds, they will get you there as fast as one day in stead of the two day travel by foot."
Harold went and sat back down next to Carline.
"Whats going on?"
"We are to take you to a human village to a man called Rughnan, he will be able to explain everything that has happened to you, better than we are able to. We have taken it upon ourselves to get you there safely." Carline replied.
"Oh..." Harold didn't really know what to say, he had hoped these people could give him some answers.
"We will leave at once. Come get ready, we meet at the veil gate in the hour. I shall get the steeds, you will ride double with me Harold." Veruif said.
"We are adjourned then, the queen said. Good luck to you Harold of earth, may we meet again in more favorable circumstances." The queen got up and gave Harold a hug, "Good luck Harold." She whispered in his ear.
Harold found himself back in the woods, yet this time he was on top of a celestial white horse with a long white mane, yet no saddle but strangely enough comfortable holding on to Veruif's slender body. He felt strangely safe as the horse galloped effortlessly through the forest, until they found a little path. While still steering the horse at a speed no animal is supposed to run, Veruif said to Harold, "This is a footpath which leads directly to the gate of Kegh we shall be there a bit after nightfall."
It was still early in the morning and Harold found himself a bit tired already, holding on to a very slim body, with a running horse beneath you is no easy feat for a city mouse.
As if reading his mind, Veruif draw to a still stand, Carline and the two other elves followed.
"We shall rest here for the better part of an hour, and then continue, the horses must be getting tired."
"Agreed." The rest of them answered.
Harold climbed off the horse and noticed how his butt wasn't even really sore.
"The confusion in your face speaks a lot Harold" Carline said dismounting her steed and walking over to Harold in a fluent movement.
"Yeah, I just can't imagine any animal able to run that fast, and me not even having body cramps after being on it that long, at home I used to ride on horses at a farm me and my dad used to go to, and I remember how stiff I felt afterward. Yet here I am, pain free after being on a horse close to three hours."
"They are called Elven steeds, they are a magical type of a horse much akin to a unicorn. They only listen to Elves, and you are also the first human to have ever ridden on one, albeit double riding, but the first ever human."
"That's cool, they are so magical, one can't help but to like them."
Harold and Carline sat on the ground and discussed the horses a bit more, The rest of the crew stood watch and or fed and gave the horses something to drink.
"I can't imagine how lost you must be feeling, Harold, by the story you told us it seems you are not from here."
"Yeah, I'm beginning to wonder about that, any fool could realize they weren't on earth anymore the moment they saw you guys, now my question is basically just, where am I, why, and how do I get home."
"There is a softness within you Harold, a kindness of sorts, you are wise as well, us elves have an innate sense of these things, yet you put up this hard, carefree front. Why?"
"I don't know princess, my mother died when I was like two years old, and my dad has a very demanding job, I had to stand up for myself since I was young, so I think it kind of grew from there."
"I see. You must take care of yourself Harold, try to enjoy the finer things in life, you humans are cursed with a short life, unlike the elves, you must make the most of it in the short time you have, my life thus far has taught me this. I feel our lives are intertwined Harold, though I have only known you for a short time, I know you felt it too the moment you saw me, my mother saw it too, I do not know what it is, but I feel we will meet again after this day. Please take care of yourself."
"I will princess. I just want to know what is going on."
"Understandable." She answered.
"You are the first person in my life except my dad I really feel comfortable with, its just funny that you turned out to be an elf."
"I can see how that is strange from your point of view." She smiled at him.
The two of them continued talking, Carline asking Harold everything from where he comes from, and telling him stories of the elves.
Harold lied, he had never felt so close to anybody in his whole life even though he only knew the young elf one day.
Harold opted to ride double with Carline the rest of the way. She was so graceful in all of her movements, when the road allowed it they would strike up a short conversation on the horse.
Harold didn't know what about the alien beauty of this woman pulled him on, but he felt a sense of belonging around her.
The sun hung low and its been a long trip, Harold had fallen asleep on Carline's back.
"We need to take the shortcut through the underground mines. That is the only way to get to Kegh before sunrise." Veruif said.
"As expected." Carline answered.
"Where are we going?" Harold asked.
"We need to take the under route to Kegh. It's an old Dwarven mine, used centuries ago. Its about an hours travel from here."
Hi guys, sorry for the long wait. Here is the next chapter, So now you all know what happened to Harold. The next chapter will be up in the next few days so
I promise it wont be suh a long wait.
Hope you enjoyed. As always please visit www.mordain88.wordpress.com for all other information on the story!!
Michael
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