Private Tales Behind enemy lines..

[Myr]

Surprised flickered over Myrdin's face, eyebrows raising as Sorai said she could not swim.

"Oh." The Elf said, no judgment to his tone, but only a hint of confusion. Lips pressing to a thin line for a brief moment as he watched the river. Gaze flickering to the boat, as though he were considering his answer.

"Yes." He said finally, not doing much to create confidence, before he continued on. "We should not have any trouble."

The River, just as the forest itself, was part of the life that surrounded them. Within it one could find creation of all sorts, from beasts to plants, and even beyond. All of which were influenced by the will of the Falwood. The same will that so far had kept them safe. Heralded, perhaps, by the body of their friend.

Myrdin frowned for a moment, shaking his head as though he realized how strange he was acting. "I do not think we will have any problems."

He explained.

"The boat is perfectly safe, and the Falwood has not stopped us yet." He doubted it would try now. "I do not think it will start now."

Though as they drew closer and closer to Leth'Loren, he knew that may begin to change. "If it would make you more comfortable, I could retrieve some gillflower."

Myr paused for a moment, frowned as he seemed to realize something, and then added. "It lets you breath underwater."

 

[Sorai]

Sorai's eyes widened in surprise as Myr mentioned the gillflower and it's use. She had never heard of such a thing, and the idea seemed both fascinating and unnerving.

"I... I had no idea such a thing existed.." she admitted, her voice tinged with awe.

She glanced at the river, its surface calm and deceptively inviting. Despite Myr's assurances, the thought of being on the water still made her uneasy. But the idea of being underwater, even with the ability to breathe, was far more disconcerting.

"I'd prefer not to be under the water at all.." she said with a nervous laugh, trying to lighten her own mood. "But if the river decides to test us, breathing would be advantageous.." she sighed, rubbing her sweaty palms together.

Her gaze returned to Myr, finding comfort in his calm demeanor. He had been a reassuring presence throughout their journey, and she trusted his judgment. If he believed the boat was safe and that the Falwood would continue to protect them, then she would try to believe it too.

"I trust you." she nodded.

 

[Myr]

Myr tilted his head in a nod as Sorai seemed to agree to the Gillflower.

The Elf smiled, thinking he had found a good mid-point. He knew the plant grew locally, in the very depths of the river they were due to travel. Retrieving enough for Sorai to use would be a simple enough task. At least it would make her feel safe.

Without hesitation, Myr's hand reached down as he began to strip off his clothes. Raising his tunic just a few inches to reveal hard muscle, stopping only his companions eyes fell upon him once more. "Oh."

He intoned once more, a smile growing on his face.

"I am glad to hear that." The Elf said honestly, allowing his tunic to fall once more. As he took a step towards her and the boat down river. "I truly do not think we'll have any problems."

Yet.

The Old Wood still loomed, but there was no need to scare her now. "Come."

Myr said with a wave of his hand, quickly leading Sorai over towards the boat. Extending a hand so that he could help her into the small, yet incredibly ornate vessel. Thousands of tiny leaves carved in vines along the planks which made it whole.

 

[Sorai]

Sorai's cheeks flushed a deep shade of crimson at the unexpected sight of Myr's bare torso. She quickly averted her gaze, clearing her throat awkwardly as she tried to compose herself.

"Right," she muttered, nodding as she focused her eyes on the boat rather than Myr. "Let's, uh, get going."

With her heart still racing, she trudged towards the boat, accepting Myr's extended hand to help her step inside. She couldn't help but notice the intricate designs and carvings. They must have taken someone so many hours of dedicated time to craft, and the beauty of it distracted her enough to regain her composure.

"Thank you," she said softly, settling herself in the boat. She glanced up at Myr, her blush fading slightly as she offered a small smile. "It's a beautiful boat. I've never seen anything like it."

As Myr settled in and began to push off from the shore, Sorai drew a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves.

"How long will we be on the river?" she asked, casting a glance back toward the shore.

 

[Myr]

"It is." The Elf declared quite cheerily, smiling down at the handcrafted creation as he gently leaned down and began to unstrap his boots. Ridding himself of the heavy leather and throwing it into the boat as he gently took hold of it's front. "I suspect that it took someone many years to carve."

His people were like that, taking on a project and obsessiveness over it for a part of their life time. A boat like this would have taken a year, and in the span of their people that may as well have been a few months. "Placing it here allows us to use it, and the craftsmen to show us his work."

Myr said in appreciation as he gently pushed the boat off shore, wading through the waters for only a brief moment before he jumped in.

"Three days." The Elf said as he retrieved one of the oars from the side of the ship and guided them into the current. "Cutting down about ten days of walking."

He continued, wondering if Sorai was forming a map within her mind. "But after this, I am afraid things will start getting complicated."

 

[Sorai]

Sorai smiled as Myr told her about the boat, her eyes tracing the intricate carvings along the planks. "That's kind.." It was a nice idea, she thought, admiring the craftsmanship. That someone had spent so much of their time on such a thing, to leave it behind for another to take for nothing in return.. Such a thing would never happen where she was from. Sorai had always admired art. Creation, rather than destruction. The artistry of the boat was a welcome distraction from the heaviness of their journey.

However, her smile quickly fell when Myr mentioned the duration of their river voyage. "Three days?..." she repeated, her face paling slightly at the prospect. She paled even further as Myr mentioned complications.

"How complicated, exactly?" she asked, her voice laced with apprehension. She shifted uneasily in the boat, trying to gauge what kind of challenges lay ahead. She wasn't sure if it was the movement of the boat, or the thought of unknown complications that made her stomach churn, and she instinctively glanced at Katyr's still form for reassurance.

"What should I expect?" she asked hesitantly, her voice barely above a whisper.

 

[Myr]

Myr situated himself, taking up the paddle as she noted Sorai's continued apprehension.

Briefly he found himself wondering if there might not have been an easier way to ease her through all of this. There was little doubt she was a stranger in a strange land, but naught all was as bad as it seemed. At least not yet.

No real danger had presented itself. "Leth'Loren is deep into the Falwood, Sorai."

He explained.

"We will need to go through much of the forest and the Old Wood." Myr made the distinction of the two, though he did not yet explain the term. They would have weeks yet before they came to the Old Wood. The ancient forest where Leth'Loren lay. "But there are also cities, three of them, we must go through."

Which presented part of the problem. Two of those cities, he did not think, would present a problem, but it was the third which did. "My people are not all as accepting as me. If anyone gets overzealous...you could face arrest."

 

[Sorai]

Sorai's fingers tightened around the edge of the boat as Myr explained their path. The mention of the Old Wood sent a shiver spilling down her spine like ice water, but she pushed the feeling aside. She listened intently, her heart beating a little faster at the prospect of passing through elven cities. She was a stranger in their land, and the idea of facing hostility or even arrest was daunting.

Still, her resolve was firm. "I understand," she said, her voice steady despite the anxiety simmering beneath the surface. "But my only concern is getting Katyr home. Whatever it takes."

Her eyes met Myr's, filled with determination. "I've come this far, and I won't turn back. I'll do whatever I must.. But if that happens, or worse, just promise you'll get him home."

 

[Myr]

Myr couldn't help the smile that drew upon his lips. Four hundred years later.

The Elf mused within his own mind as he saw the conviction in Sorai's eyes.

Still inspiring such loyalty. For a brief, mournful moment, Myr cast a glance towards the body of his friend. The smile tightened only a little bit before he shook his head and looked once more to Sorai. "He'll get home."

Myr said, as though merely saying it declared the words fact.

Perhaps it would have been easier to go alone. To convince Sorai to stay back and simply let him deliver the body, but he knew he couldn't. He knew the pain it would cause her, the grief that would spike through her. So they would go together, and they could overcome the obstacles in their way.

The River would take them far, and that at least would give him time to prepare. "I think it best I teach you about my people as we go, our customs, culture. So at least you know how to...interact."

He said with a frown, not entirely sure how else to put it.

 

[Sorai]

The warmth in Myr's smile, despite the weight of their mission, provided a much-needed comfort. She could see how much Katyr meant to him, just as he meant to her.

"Good," she said with a nod, her voice steady despite the heaviness of their journey. "Thank you."

As he suggested teaching her about his people and their customs, Sorai gave a small nod, appreciating the gesture. "I would welcome that. I know very little about your people beyond what I've heard in rumours. Understanding your customs will certainly help... Maybe, some of your language, too?"

She looked out at the river, watching as the waters rippled gently under the boat. Her small smile was tentative but genuine. "I want to make sure I'm respectful, especially with everything at stake."

As the boat glided smoothly down the river, Sorai settled back, feeling a bit more at ease knowing she had Myr’s guidance.

 

[Myr]

"That is good." Myrdin said, tilting his head in a nod. He had not thought Sorai wouldn't be respectful, as she had already been, but hearing her say it brought a small amount of relief.

A human walking within the Falwood was bad enough to some, Leth'Loren? In truth, he still had no idea if they would even allow her into the city. It was a gamble, and Katyr's body would either help...or see her incarcerated.

But there was no need to tell her that, no, it would only frighten her. "I will do my best to teach you what I can on our journey."

The Elf continued.

"Starting with the customs of Katyr's home." There was a pause for a moment, and Myrdin realized something. "Are you...aware of our society? That we are not a whole, as you might think. The Elves who dwell within the Falwood, I mean."

Within the forest there were dozens of Elven cities. Each one had it's own unique culture, identity, and sometimes even race. They shared many commons causes of course, such as the Great Wars, but they were not like the humans of Aniria. "Leth'Loren is...a nation within itself, almost."

 

[Sorai]

Sorai listened intently as Myrdin spoke, her brow furrowing slightly in concentration. The idea that the Elves weren’t a single, unified people was new to her. In Vel Anir, they had always been spoken of as a monolith—one enemy, one threat. But Myrdin’s words painted a different picture, one far more complex and intricate.
"I… I didn’t know that, I'm sorry.." Sorai admitted shamefully.

"I always thought of the Elves, as if you’re all the same. Like one big, united group. But that seems silly now.. There are humans all over Arethil with different cities and cultures, I suppose it makes sense that it is the same for you."

She paused, processing what he had said about Leth'Loren. A nation within itself? The concept intrigued her, but it also made her more anxious. "So, Leth'Loren is different from other Elven cities, then? And Katyr's home… it's part of this nation?"

Sorai’s mind raced with questions, "What customs should I know of?.. How should I act when we arrive? ..Should I bring them a gift? ..Will they understand my language, as you do?"

 

[Myr]

Myrdin gently raised his hand to forestall more of her questions. There would be many of them by th end, and he would surely answer them all. One answer would eventually lead into another, and only then would she properly understand.

"You do not need to apologize." He began first of all. "We have not made it easy for you to understand us."

Though, not without good question. "Leth'Loren is both nation and city as one, surrounded by the Old Wood. A part of the Falwood where the trees and groves stretch back eons and millenia."

He explained.

"There are old and ancient magics there." All of which would eventually pose a challenge for them to go through. "Because of this, Leth'Loren holds to many traditions that even elves in Fal'Addas consider to be outdated."

The thought of Elves abandoning traditions would likely seem strange to Sorai, but it happened here just as it did in the lands of men. It simply took centuries, instead of decades. "Most there will not speak your tongue, but some will. It is the respect of the traditions they hold dear that is most important."

Myr explained as he began to tell her some of these traditions. The rituals of greeting and parting, the words spoken over the beginning of a meal, and even some of the magics inherit within those very traditions. "In a way, you have already stumbled upon the most sacred of all their traditions."

He said with a smile. "And that, quite simply, is keeping your word."

"Whether by Oath, Promise, or Aside. When those of Leth'Loren say something will be done." The smile on his face slipped just the tiniest bit. "Then it will be done."