Chapter 1

Pain. Darkness and pain. Even more pain. An arrow. An arrow coming towards my head. Towards my temple. But there is more pain in my hand and in my side. Yes, the first arrow is aimed at my heart. I need to avoid those arrows. My horses. They are behind me. I need to protect them, too...

““NO! Don’t move! Stay still!””

That was a direct, magical order given to me in the Old Language and I started fighting against it without really thinking about it. Only, my body didn’t really want to co-operate and the pain became unbearable.

After that, there was only darkness again. It was better than the pain.

Pain. Pain again, but different. Being in pain probably meant that I was alive, right? Or, I was dying and the diminishing pain only meant that death was closer. Or the opposite. Since I was not able to decide which way it was, I tried to open my eyes.

Except that I wasn’t able to do that as there was something on my eyes that kept them closed. My first feeling was sheer panic, before I understood that I actually could feel a cloth, or something that went over my head, and it was covering my eyes. In a way, that made me feel a bit better, but not much. If I got hit on my temple, why are my eyes covered?

The next thing I did was try to push the pain into the background and concentrate on my right hand that wasn’t hurt. Yes, now I was able to remember how the arrow had hit my left hand and then penetrated my left side, since besides my temple, those were the places that were radiating the pain everywhere. So, I forgot my closed eyes and concentrated on my right hand. Somehow it seemed to take a whole lot of me to even think about moving my hand.

Finally, I sent my hand the command to rise and check the cloth on my face. Nothing happened, and now I really started to worry. I considered yelling in panic, but I wasn’t even sure if my mouth would work. Before I managed to really panic, a small piece of information managed to reach my brain. There had been a feeling of pressure when I tried to move my hand. There was something pressing my hand down. I had been tied down! Why? As though I were in shape to do anything to anybody.

I forced myself to calm down and then I again tried moving my right hand. Now, I could clearly feel the soft fabric keeping my hand in place. That softness was probably the reason why I had not felt it in the first place. However, that didn’t leave me much choice - I needed to speak up. I fought the pain a bit and forced myself to think while also calming myself down. I couldn’t open my eyes, that was clear. Or, it was dark. I also felt much too weak to get my hand free from under the soft fabric. Being this weak it didn’t feel sensible to start yelling if nobody was able to hear. Somehow I was quite sure that, even if I tried to yell, I couldn’t be heard very far. If I was able to speak at all ... If...

However, once I had the pain in control, I started sensing my environment very carefully. It didn’t take me very long to sense that there was somebody close to me. In fact, when I concentrated I could also hear soft, regular breathing. I didn’t stop there and finally, I was quite certain that there was only one person close to me and she - well, she felt like an Elf, and she was asleep. I concentrated on her breathing for a while but as there was no change in it I decided to give my voice a try.

““Hey!””

That murmur probably came out as ... well, an almost silent rasp, since my mouth was dry, my throat was dry, and I seemed totally unable to produce any saliva. I tried to preserve some moistness inside my mouth before trying again.

““Hey!””

Maybe a tiny bit better but not enough to help. Getting frustrated, I tried moving my right hand again, but it was securely under the fabric next to my body. Without really thinking any further, I changed my attempt to move from my right hand, to the left one which didn’t feel so securely tied. Then I found out that I was able use my voice.

I didn’t pass out. Not even close. Still, I almost hoped that I had, since there was so much pain. The positive thing was that the person next to me woke up. Even if I was in pain I was able to register the noise she made. She must have been sitting in a chair and fallen asleep there, since the sudden noise I made woke her up and she fell from the chair. She panicked and took a hold of something - which was me. I almost passed out again and now I really wished that I had, since my arm hurt so much. Well, I didn’t pass out, but with all that pain, my ability to follow what was happening around me was somewhat limited. I could tell that some other people had entered the room but not much besides that. I gradually fought back the pain and concentrated on my surroundings.

““Stian, are you awake?””

I knew that voice. Fainauriel. I wondered if the worry I was able to sense in her voice was real.

““Water!””

““What did you say, Stian? I couldn’t really hear you.””

““Some water, please.””

This time I concentrated speaking as clearly as I could and I also tried to add the ideas of water and begging to my voice. I could hear that there was some activity, and by concentrating, I probably could have figured out more but my focus was in keeping the increased pain on hold and staying awake. Soon I could feel something against my lips.

““Careful. Take only small sips, since you don’t want to throw up, now.””

Cautiously, I did what was asked but even those small sips did wonders in my mouth and throat. After a moment, I was able to sigh and try speaking again.

““Thank you Fainauriel. Is it possible to get this bandage away from my eyes? I’d really like to see around.””

I didn’t want to say it aloud, but I was more than a bit worried what I might hear. I remembered the arrow hitting my temple - not my eyes - yet I was worried that something had happened to my eyes, too. I had no idea what would I do if I had become blind.

““Oh, sure. It is just there in order to keep some pressure on your wound. I’m quite certain that it can be removed and re-tied a bit differently.””

““Thank you.””

I couldn’t really express the amount of relief I felt. I was alive, even if in serious pain. Most likely, I wasn’t blind - and the connection, the bond I felt with Fainauriel was still there. Whatever that bond was.

““Fainauriel, how are you? Is everything okay?””

““Yes. No. I mean, I’m okay but I’m bigger than a bear in the autumn.”“

I listened and sensed her words and I could tell that she was being genuine. She did really feel that way. I could feel a small smile forming to my lips.

““I’m sure you look good. I can’t wait to see you again.””

At that point I started feeling really tired again and I understood what the taste in the water had been: willow bark. She had given me some willow bark with that water. I wanted to protest, but I had no energy for that and the darkness took over.

Next time I woke up, I could sense that things were different. It wasn’t the fact that I had had some strange dreams - and now I even remembered some of them. I had an idea that I had dreamed, but that most of those dreams I didn’t want to remember. No, things were different because I could really see now, and I could move my right hand. But I only had no energy to do anything more than raise it by two finger widths. At least I was able to move my fingers, I guess that was something. I had some problems focusing my eyes in the beginning but I could see that it was getting dark outside. Or maybe the sun was just rising? No, something in the color of the light coming from outside told me that it was evening. Like, I had any way of really knowing.

““You lost quite a lot of blood, Stian. For a while you got us - well, at least some of us - very worried.””

Before I could answer Bellcauniel came into my view and offered me some water. I accepted her help with the glass and took small gulps, remembering the warning Fainauriel had given me. Even though there was much less pain now, I still didn’t want to throw up. No way.

I also stored the information she had given me for further thinking. It was quite clear that I wasn’t as welcome here as I had assumed. I just really had no energy to think about that too much for now. Nor did I have any energy to analyze if there had been some hidden message in her comment. It didn’t feel like it.

““Thank you, Bellcauniel. How are you - and did everything go okay with you and the others?””

I wanted to be honest with my question. I put all the honesty I could into that question. Considering my situation, I was not in a position to play games with them even if, in a way, I was doing just that when I asked about the babies. Now I was able to focus on her and I was almost sure that I was able to see something flash in those eyes I remembered to be dark blue.

I had been thinking about Bellcauniel a whole lot after her visit, and I was sure that she was probably the smartest one of the Elves I had met. I was also sure that even with my increased magical abilities I was no match against her. Maybe my powers were. It just didn’t help with her. I could almost sense from that one look that she knew I what I had tried - and she knew that I knew. Right now I wasn’t in a condition to play games like that.

““Oh, everything has gone fine with all of us. Of course some of the girls cursed you a few hundred times while giving birth but most of them should have forgiven you by now. Maybe. Oh, you might like to know that our little girl was the first baby born to us in this world. I beat Veryamedliel by one hour and she hasn’t forgiven me for that. After all, her water broke more than half a day before mine. But congratulations Stian, you are a daddy several times over.””

Despite the persistent pain, I smiled. There was absolutely nothing I could do to prevent that. Absolutely nothing. Somehow, I got a feeling that there had been some purpose in all this. I had been interested about such things when I had had sex with those hot Elven women, but it didn’t stop me feeling like that now. I knew that it really made no sense, since I had just been almost killed by these same Elves. Or then, was Bellcauniel playing with my mind again?

““Can I see her? Our daughter, I mean.””

Suddenly I noticed that I had never seen Bellcauniel really smile. Really smile. Not before that moment. It was like a light had been lit behind those deep blue eyes. Maybe only for a moment, but still...

She was small and beautiful. Well, I hadn’t seen too many babies, but she was a beautiful baby. Maybe all Elven babies are beautiful - or maybe it was only in my eyes. I didn’t care, she was beautiful to me - and of course to Bellcauniel. After seeing her - and almost holding her - Bellcauniel took her away and made me drink some juice. Or, it was something between a juice and a soft porridge. I almost hesitated since I started feel some pressure in my bladder and I had no idea how to stand up.

““Look Bellcauniel, I’m not sure if I should drink anything more now. In fact, I have a feeling that...””

She snorted.

““Stian, it has been more than once that someone has held a jar there so that there is no need to dry your bed. You just don’t remember. I can ask someone here or I can do it myself. But you need to drink a lot so that your body can replace all the blood you lost. Trust me, you’ll need that blood soon enough, there might still be a few of us who want to have a baby.””

I groaned but she just laughed at me. Then I was good boy and took my drink and after that she held that jar - and smiled. I promised myself that I’d get her for that. I’m quite sure that she was counting on that, too. After all, she was the sneakiest of them, as far as I knew.

The following days were brutal, even if my recovery was quite fast, once I was able to start moving. The main problem was that I wanted to start moving as soon as I was able to do it, and the woman who was responsible for my healing didn’t agree with me.

““You sound just like my mother!”“

““Well, that makes things a bit interesting since I have planned to have baby of my own someday. I remember Caladwen telling us that you humans have a legend around that subject.””

I couldn’t help blushing, but the problem with her was that I wasn’t at all sure if she was teasing me. Besides, my mother had been a good-looking woman. Shit. At least I didn’t faint when I had my morning wood, so I probably had enough blood in my veins now. I added that woman to my payback list which was getting longer each day. I really needed to get back in shape.

A couple of days later, when I finally was in shape to move around a bit more than a few steps, Bellcauniel came to see me, together with Fainauriel and the third woman who had been the one responsible for my healing. I still didn’t know her name. However, it was clear that something was going on. It was Bellcauniel who started.

““Do you know, Stian, that you almost died? First, you should have died, since our hunters just don’t miss when they are that close to their target. Even the Ugly People know that. But with you they almost missed.””

I was about to say that I have no idea of what I did but she raised her palm and stopped me before I had even started.

““Secondly, it took them so long to start taking care of you, that you should have bled to death. Only you didn’t. Somehow, you had managed to reduce the bleeding all by yourself.””

““I have no idea if I did that, nor how. However, that probably is a nice skill to have.””

It was also nice not to lie to her since she was a master in seeing through you. It was even nicer if you could tell her the truth without telling the whole truth and get away with it. Now I knew why I had been so weak and too exhausted to even think about magic. Well, I did tell her the truth - in the sense that I had no idea that I had done that. I may have thought, as my last thought before losing consciousness, that I needed to do something to save myself - and I had tried to heal myself before.

““Yes indeed. In case you want to try that sometime in the future, Allynna here would like to be next to you and observe.”“

““No, thanks. I’ll try to avoid all the arrows in the future, if possible.””

““You have been wounded before.””

““Yes. From a Troll knife. I’m sure you heard about it. Luckily, my mother had taught me how to take care of wounds.””

Even if she mostly believed me, she was still fishing. I guess that was part of nature with Bellcauniel. However, I had expected her to do that, and I had been prepared. But enough of this, I decided that it was time to do something, time to act.

““Am I now allowed to leave this building? Or do you still want to keep me as your prisoner?””

That shook them. I smiled.

““Come on, do you think that I haven’t noticed that there is someone with her crossbow outside the building all the time?””

““It’s ... a bit complicated.””

““I don’t think so. Either I am a prisoner or I’m not.””

I admit it. I liked to see Bellcauniel squirm. She had teased me quite enough while I had been lying there. But deep inside me, I also worried if I had made a serious mistake by coming here. It had felt such a great idea. Besides being my only real choice.

Bellcauniel sighed.

““Stian, you’re not a prisoner.””

I evaluated her words and the way she had said it for a while before saying anything.

““But... ?””

She had been honest with me - in a way. But I was sure that a whole lot was left unsaid.

““Damn you, Stian! We are - I mean we three here - are worried about your safety while there may be others who are worried because of you. They are worried because they don’t know you, they don’t trust you because you are a male and...””

““ ... because I understand the Old Language and can do some magic, right? Why was it so hard to admit that? Damn, I’ve guessed that much since I got hit by those arrows. Look, my own bows weren’t loaded when I arrived and I didn’t sneak around, but used the path. Not really that threatening. So, it had to be something else.””