Private Tales The Road Which Bears the Wanderer

A private roleplay only for those invited by the first writer
Ereven Theruvanen

Ereven Theruvanen

Elven Blademaster
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Sunlight peeked through some of the treetops above the wooded road where Ereven had been traveling, down to the dirt path and small scrub below. Trees of various sizes and heights surrounded the elven warrior in his teal mirthril plate armor, towering above him and providing the cover of verdant green which blocked out the brightest of the sun's light. And the scene below was one to behold: the elven warrior stood, sword drawn and stance held, against an entire pack of dire wolves, whose eyes fixed hungrily on him. Some were on the road ahead, others behind trees, waiting to ambush, but either way, the elf was outnumbered, and by much larger opponents.

As always, Ereven was fighting with the very intentionality of death; if he won, and lived, the world would be rid of a few more monsters, but if he died, then he could finally rest and be rid of the sorrow that had plagued him since his brother Taluei's death. Each new fight was a coin flip, an opportunity to prove valor once again or die honorably, yet in thousands of battles he had yet to find that peace.

Ereven took one step to the right, eyeing the movements of the wolf, and wondering just when and how it would strike, and if the wolf in front of him would even be the one to make the first move. The beast was as large as a horse, with thick black fur and gleaming yellow eyes, its mouth slightly ajar and bristling with sharp canine teeth, a bit of saliva dribbling down its jaw as it let out a guttural growl from deep within its chest. The elf, by contrast, held an elegant posture with his adamantine falchion, ready to strike at the very first opportunity.

Such a fight would be suicide for any other, perhaps. But Ereven was a legend. He clutched his blade tightly, his eyes keenly focused on the danger ahead...

Arastan Aellevanda
Taliyah
 
Arastan and Taliyah had begun their travels with the important task of inviting several elven individuals to their wedding. Not only was this wedding important because...well it was their wedding, but this would be the first time outsiders had been invited and seen by the city in centuries.

All of this was super important, but Arastan was focused on something even more important for this trip...They were finally free of the palace, if only for a moment. It might as well be a vacation.

Arastan and his traveling party were making their way quickly through the forest, atop Striders. Striders were specially bred creatures from Aellevanda that were built for speed, stamina, and stealth. Looking like a cross between a panther and a lizard, these creatures sat low to the grown but were far more agile than a horse.

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The young prince sat comfortably on his mount in his loose-fitting robes. The robes threatened to fall off and leave him bare-chested but always seemed to be able to cling on. He was busy watching and admiring his soon-to-be wife when the sounds of...battle caught his ear. That was strange, but his curiosity won out.

Without giving a word to his guard, Arastan changed direction with his mount and leaped off the path and into the woods. A practice that had long ago drawn the ire of his guards, but they were prepared and followed after him.

What Arastan found surprised him. A single swordsman against this large pack of dire wolves, and the swordsman was an elf. It was the way the swordsman held himself that made Arastan want to sit back and watch. Who was he to ruin this man's chance for battle?

He shook his head as he reminded himself that doing nothing was also just him being an asshole. Arastan pointed toward the scene and yelled out "Guards, attack!"

The soldiers needed little more encouragement as all of them unslung bows from across their backs. Within moments, a series of arrows slammed into some of the dire wolves, assisting the swordsman.

Taliyah Ereven Theruvanen
 
Like Arastan, Taliyah was excited to be away from the palace more than anything. She had already had a glorious week with no Queen, no place settings, no dresses, and no proper manners. It was exhausting. If she did not love Arastan as much as she did, she would have left his Princely ass as soon as his mother started her shit. As it was, Taliyah accepted her fate as future Princess and someday Queen of Aellevanda.

She looked over to find Arastan looking over at her. The way he looked at her made her heart beat faster and she was constantly reminded of that first time she laid her eyes on him. He had rescued her from those human cultist and he carried her for so long before they finally stopped. Taliyah had no idea who she was at that time. She was just an elf with a cut up face and no memory. It did not matter to Arastan though. He loved her anyways. She felt that love every single time she looked at him.

Taliyah had been about to say something sarcastic when Arastan took off. Since she was lost in her thoughts, she had not heard anything but she spurred her Strider, Marta, forward. She drew up next to her fiancé and looked at the single elf surrounded by dire wolves. She immediately dismounted and drew her sword as the guards sent their first volley of arrows at the beasts.

Unlike Arastan, Taliyah was a trained fighter. She had spent the majority of her life in the fighting pits and now she trained daily with the guards. It drove the Queen nuts which meant she loved it even more.

She did not advance yet. She wanted to see the damage from the arrows first.

Arastan Aellevanda Ereven Theruvanen
 
He closed his eyes. Not today, then.

Ereven's concentration was broken by the sudden whistling of arrows through the trees, striking some of the dire wolves. Some fell, others ran at their wounds; the one in the center, however, stayed. It bared its teeth at Ereven now, too focused on the elf to care that its packmates were being driven away. Unfortunately for it, this was far from the first such monster Ereven had slain, and even further from the fiercest.

He stepped forward, blade in both hands. The wolf responded by lowering its body, readying to pounce and use its body mass to overwhelm its much smaller adversary. The world grew quiet around Ereven now, as he focused on his sole opponent, only the blade, the wolf, and himself being of relevance to his senses. The wolf's tail stood up, signaling that it was ready to pounce; as it did so Ereven easily sidestepped, striking one lethal blow to the wolf's neck with his curved blade as it nearly landed on him, with a speed so quick it would seem impossible to the naked eye. The wolf crumpled to the ground, the life quickly leaving its hateful eyes. Though he knew there were others, Ereven kneeled next to the fallen beast as he noticed the rest of the pack of wolves fleeing.

He spoke softly, his voice an almost lilting tune of the elven tongue. "You needn't have died here today; would that you had thought of your family today, and not yourself. I hope the next life will treat you better than this one did, noble one."

Ereven closed the wolf's eyes, sparing it a single dignity in a world where it likely knew none. He stood, retrieving a cloth from his pack to wipe the beast's blood from his blade and armor. When he was finished, he turned to the group of elves who had aided him, sheathing his blade. Such groups of elves were not uncommon, and he suspected there was some reason they travelled with bodyguards.

He opened the dialogue with them, slowly walking in their direction. "Greetings friends, and well met," he said, his voice lacking the music it had moments ago. "I thank you for your aid; if there is some way I can repay you in kind, simply name it and I will return the favor."

His words were sincere, but his heart wasn't. But they had hardly done anything wrong, and it would at least be a distraction, if only for a while...

Arastan Aellevanda
Taliyah
 
It was clear in the first moments of the battle that it would end in their favor. The arrows sent many of the wolves fleeing into the surrounding forest, but Arastan watched the swordsman showcase an incredible feat of graceful swordsmanship. He was sure Taliyah could probably notice the more intricate niceties of his skill, but even Arastan was impressed.

He turned to watch some of the wolves flee, and an instinctual part of him told him to go finish the hunt, but he stopped him. Turning into some creature and taking hours if not days out of their trip in order to hunt would be a waste. Not to mention, Arastan's increasing lack of control, the longer he stayed into his more bestial forms.

For now, he would have to be content with his archers' skills.

"No need, friend. We were simply helping a bystander when it was within our power...Incredible swordsmanship if I may say so. Where did you learn?"

Arastan turned his full attention back to the elf as he looked him up and down. He was wearing simple armor but carried himself with a noble and confident demeanor. That alone, made Arastan like him even more. He shot a look at Taliyah to see her opinion of the swordsman.

Taliyah Ereven Theruvanen
 
Taliyah loved a good fight but there was some sadness that she had not been needed. It had been so long since she had been in a real fight and she found that she missed it a little. No, she missed it a lot. She would not trade her freedom and her life for the pits again though. Never again.

The future Princess looked at the swordsman and appraised him much the same as Arastan did except her appraisal was more of skill than looks. He did not look like much of a great warrior but she had learned long ago that a mans (or womans) body type was not indicative of their fighting ability.

Now that the threat was gone, Taliyah joined the stranger in sheathing her blade as well.

"Adding on to the first question, what is your name, warrior?" She asked with a small smile curving her lips. "I am Taliyah," she indicated herself, "and this is Arastan," a gesture towards her fiancé. "And, obviously, our guards," she added in order to not be rude to their escorts.

There was something about the elf that made her want to know more about him. Why was he out here alone? They were far from any cities that she knew of. What did he do? Did he currently have a job? All questions she could ask in a few minutes. For now...the basics.

Ereven Theruvanen Arastan Aellevanda
 
Ereven waited for the two to introduce themselves before continuing, taking a moment to consider his opposition should they turn out to be hostile, though this was highly unlikely given they had helped against the wolves--such acts of treachery and deceit had happened to him on more occasions than he'd care to admit in his over 600 year life, and he would be on his guard even if his ever-wearying mind grew tired of the effort. He would die on his terms; that was the only point left for him, now.

He had at least apprised that they were younger elves, or, at least he suspected as such based on their speech, method of travel, and mannerisms; the bodyguard which traveled with them also suggested they were of some importance, though he could not discern as such merely by looking. His sword-arm rested easy, and his shoulders relaxed, under the impression he was in safe company.

"I learned swordsmanship from the great warrior Geruin of Fal'Addas centuries ago; he passed some two-hundred years ago now. He trained a number of young elves like myself, though he was very selective with his students, only accepting those who showed immense promise and... spirit, I think was the word he used."

He turned now to Taliyah, to answer her. "I am Ereven Theruvanen, last of my house alongside my sister Teruthaya, who has long since departed from Fal'Addas, and to where I know not. I wander the roads, protecting elves and men alike from the evils of this world."

His cadence was calm, his words flowing like a gentle breeze or a steady stream when he spoke. "It is a rare sight to see elves on the road, even here; tell me, if you might, what has given you cause to travel?"

Arastan Aellevenda
Taliyah
 
Seeing the elf before they relax certainly made Arastan more at ease, but most importantly it made the guards relax. They always made it so stuffy when they were on edge. He nodded thankfully towards Taliyah, when she introduced the both of his sees as he had rudely forgotten to give his own name.

While Arastan was not well read on the elven world at large, he felt like the name of Geruin was familiar. Maybe he was someone so important that even he had heard the name before. It was hard to tell.

"Pleasure to meet you Ereven. It is rare to find those of...noble character on the road. We are in the process of traveling for diplomatic reasons. We bring big news for the rest of the elven world...You say you are a wanderer. Maybe you would like to accompany us for a time. It's always good to have a friendly conversation."

Arastan smiled at him as he made the offer. He was not one to be paranoid of concerned over strangers.

Taliyah Ereven Theruvanen
 
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Taliyah had not been born when Geruin of Fal'Addas had lived but she knew his name. She may have been a pit fighter but everyone had stories of their lives before they had ended up as an indentured fighter. They would spend their evenings exchanging stories and Geruin was mentioned many times. She had already liked this man but now there was a new level of respect there.

She was hoping he would accompany them longer than ‘a time’. She just was not sure that right now was the right time to ask him such a thing. She would though. She loved her guards but they were, in the end, Arastan’s and his parents. She needed an outsider like herself.

Arastan Aellevanda Ereven Theruvanen
 
Noting the guards, Ereven suspected that the wish for his company was, at least not initially, tied to his skill-at-arms, which gave him some relief as well; he'd spent his early years working as a sellsword of sorts, but he was a seasoned adventurer and fighter of more years than most mortals could even dream of living, and his purse and coffers were both accordingly fat with gold and treasures beyond imagining. Yet it brought him little solace, as now he sought only relief to ease the pain of his brother's passing.

"The roads are dangerous these days, perhaps growing more so by the day. I will not turn away company when it is offered, for my path is a lonesome one, and to shy away from such an offer would be foolish, I think. Very well, I shall travel with you," he said, turning his eyes back to the road in front of them. He waited for them to get moving again before asking a simple question.

"And where does your road lead you? I know many elves are given to wander, but with your guards I feel you must have some greater purpose before you."

Arastan Aellevenda
Taliyah
 
It's like the sages of old once said. It is the journey and not the destination, and so far, the journey had grown predictable. None of the guards were good for conversation, and Taliyah and him had plenty of conversation. *wink* *wink*.

Their new travel companion would do well to break up the monotonous nature of the whole adventure.

"Always safety in numbers, although you don't look like you need much help with that matter." Arastan chuckled lighted. Although he made light of the situation, he had noticed the same as Ereven.

The roads were far more dangerous than they had been in the past. Maybe Aellevanda could look to protect some of the roads closer to them once they stopped hiding.

"First stop is the lost city of Thyasari. Have you ever heard of it?"

Thyasari, much like Aellevanda, was a hidden elven city that protected itself by avoiding the outside world. They had recently made themselves known once more, at least from what some in Aellevanda had heard. Arastan hoped to invite them to the wedding, partly, to make new friends, especially with a city that could understand much hesitancy and problems that Aellevanda might face when they appeared once again to the world.

Taliyah Ereven Theruvanen
 
Taliyah found her hand slipping into Arastan's without thought. She listened to him converse with Ereven as she looked around her and took in the loveliness of nature. She loved being out here and she loved it even more that she was with the person she loved.

"We are getting married," she spoke before their new companion could answer the question. "My dear fiance comes from a place much like the lost city of Thyasari. It is our hope that we can meet new elves and invite them to our celebration. I am not from his home and it is hard to imagine not knowing many people."

She placed a chaste kiss on Arastan's cheek and squeezed his hand. She saw no reason to not tell Ereven the truth especially since she had a plan to keep the elf around for a while.

Ereven Theruvanen Arastan Aellevanda
 
Though Arastan's tone was jovial, and Taliyah's was similarly joyous--as two betrothed perhaps should be--he shared little of their enthusiasm, for his was a road devoid of such happiness, and had been for longer than most mortals could even remember.

"Safety in numbers oft means safety only for some, but not the unfortunates who still fall victim to the blade, bow, or claw. I will lend my company, but I cannot ensure that this road will be any safer for all my skill-at-arms."

He remembered himself, knowing that their tone had been quite different from his own, and not wanting to seem a hostile presence to them.

"I wish you all the joy in your marriage. Love, like much else in my long life, seems to have eluded me despite my many years. I have not heard of Thyasari; much of my time has been spent among mortals in Alliria, and my knowledge of elven goings-on has accordingly dwindled. Still..."

He paused. He knew what his brother Taluei would have done--refused their offer, and gone back to rescuing more mortal towns amongst the residents of Alliria. Fighting for good, killing in the name of justice and rightness, and always trying to make the world better, as Geruin had taught them. Yet for all his fervor, Taluei had still been killed, and as always, Ereven found himself questioning the wisdom that had been tempered into his mind, his body, and his very stance with a sword; perhaps, he thought, trying something new might help to at last ease his brother's passing for the first time in one-hundred years since it had happened, or at the very least, might act as a distraction...

"I have many years left, and it would do no harm to visit Thyasari. I will travel with you there, then perhaps stay for a while until the road calls to me again."

Arastan Aellevenda
Taliyah
 
"I think we will be fine. Thank you for also coming with us."

One could call Arastan cocky, and he was a little bit, but not for no reason. Taliyah was a skilled fighter, he had seen that ever since he met her. He might not be skilled, but his unique abilities made him incredibly strong when he needed to be. Combined with his elite guards and it would take triple their number if not more to deal with them. Add in a mysterious swordsman and they were sitting pretty.

"Also, if it makes you feel any better. We have never been to Thyasari either. In fact, most people probably haven't, but there is always time for new and old friends."

Arastan maneuvered his mount and gave his soon-to-be queen's hand a squeeze. He looked towards the battlefield and began down the road once more.

"Let's not give the remaining wolves a chance to discover what remains of their pack...I'm sure you will like Thyasari, but if it doesn't suit you, then maybe you can come and visit Aellevanda. It had not been visited by outsiders in centuries. Well, except for Taliyah recently. It is amazing."

Taliyah Ereven Theruvanen
 
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"...then maybe you can come and visit Aellevanda."

Ahhhh, there it was. The opening that Taliyah needed.

"I was actually hope that you would join us until after the wedding," her voice was soft as she spoke. "It would be nice to have another outsider to speak with and I would love to learn some new moves from you, Ereven."

Taliyah looked around the area to see if there were any other enemies on their way and she found none. Arastan was right though, they needed to move now before they were faced with even more wolves.

"Ereven, you can take my Strider and I will ride with Arastan," she offered. She was not sure if he would take her up on the offer but it would certainly allow them to move quicker.

Arastan Aellevanda Ereven Theruvanen
 
There was much to ask, but for the moment, Ereven was happy to accept the Strider from Taliyah. He could certainly afford a horse, but these days he wandered not to go from place to place, but to distract himself from his grief and his aching soul. So too were these travelers another distraction, and like most distractions, Ereven was too eager to avail himself of his weary heart.

"Very well, I accept," he said, allowing Taliyah to move before mounting her Strider. "I fear I am not a good teacher, but perhaps we might spar sometime, the least I can do to repay you for the ride."

He furrowed his brow now, his mind chewing on the idea of a city that hadn't been discovered. It reminded him of the many legends he and his brother had heard of while on the road, and the treasure they had often plundered from some of the many forgotten places of the world--much of which gold now lay in his bags, and in accounts across the land. Perhaps more troubling is that these elves bore little resemblance--that is to say, in culture and experience--to himself, having come from one of the hidden elven enclaves that dotted faraway places, much like the realms of the Fae, closed off to mortals and any other prying eyes.

"I am sure Aellevanda is splendorous, as is Thyasari, as Fal'Addas is. There are many wondrous places in our world, though I must wonder to what end Thyasari has opened its gates, or at least revealed them to you or I. I also wonder now to what end you seek it--I know you aim to marry there, but why Thyasari?"


Arastan Aellevenda
Taliyah
 
Arastan nodded his head in thanks to his future wife, who was much better at being a nice host than he was. He took her hand and helped her swing into his saddle.

Even after this Ereven fellow left them, maybe Arastan should get Taliyah a teacher. She was already a skilled warrior, but she might want to continue growing her skills.

The young prince could not keep in a bit laughter at the swordmaster's last comments.

"Oh, there seems to be a bit of a mistake. We are not getting married in Thyasari. No, if I tried that, I fear my mother would hunt us down and kill us both. We are heading to Thyasari simply to extend an invitation to our wedding in Aellevanda. It would be an honor to have some leaders of the elven world at our fair wedding. It will also be the first time our city had interacted with the outside world in quite some time...Well, that and, we really just wanted a good reason to get out of the city."

That was a long explanation, but it would have to do for now.

"We also planning on making trips to Fal'Addas and wherever else pops into my brain."

Ereven Theruvanen Taliyah
 
Taliyah settled in behind Arastan and rested her hands on his hips. Her balance was pretty good but the Striders had no concept of maybe I shouldn't try to kill my rider.

The elf snirked when Arastan said they had wanted a good reason to get out of the city. They were both excited to invite outsiders to the wedding but the real draw had been leaving Aellevanda for a while. It had been leaving his mother for awhile.

"Arastan's mother is determined to make me a proper Princess and I am determined to avoid her torture," she smiled an innocent smile. She heard some of the guards snicker. They knew. They understood. "She is less than pleased that her precious son decided to marry a former pit fighter and an outsider and someone who does not do what she told when she is told."

Taliyah loved Arastan though so she dealt with it. It was very nice to complain for a few moments though.

Ereven Theruvanen Arastan Aellevanda
 
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The correction left Ereven slightly speechless, as it seemed to defy conventional logic, but these were two young lovers, and as he'd known from saving one-too-many a lost human lover, both male and female, the heart was hardly a rational thing.

"My apologies; I suppose it would be strange to me either way. You speak as though Thyasari has been closed off from the rest of the world for some time, yet you are extending an invitation to the inhabitants there just to attend your wedding. While I have no doubt as to the importance of your union in Aellevenda..." He said, pausing as he rolled the idea around in his head, "Do you not suppose there is some reason Thyasari is closed off? Among our kind it is well-known that strange magics often abound, and I cannot help but wonder if Thyasari's seclusion is a choice."

He then turned slightly to the bride-to-be, mildly surprised to learn of her origin as a fighter, as her current attire suggested she might be of the same noble stock he assumed Arastan descended from.

"I remember when my own mother used to scold me for the bits of leaves and grass that would stick to my hair and clothes after I'd spent a day exploring or sparring. Yet, she always persisted, though I think the day she taught us to launder caused an almost visible weight to be relieved from her shoulders," he said, adding a mischievous grin, which quickly faded. "Alas, I have outlived my dear mother, and my father as well, even though my own vocation was considerably more dangerous. Now my only family left, my sister, seems to have vanished without a trace, with nary a word to speak for it. I do not know your situation, but... often family have the best of intentions, and one should cherish their family while they yet remain, lest they end up like me, completely alone in the world but for the company of strangers."

Arastan Aellevenda
Taliyah
 
Yeah, maybe Arastan wasn't the best of all this, to begin with. He should figure out how to get better at explaining things...Yeah, that probably would not happen anytime soon.

"Yes, it is. I mean, it was their choice. You see, Aellevanda and Thysari are both hidden elven cities that secluded themselves during the same age. That being said, both cities had kept track of each other. It was recently that they chose to come out of seclusion, and my city is looking to follow in their steps. We are hoping they will come to do the history our two cities use to share centuries ago. If not then...that's their choice."

Arastan would not admit that he likely would never have an understanding of fighting or coming from a less than noble background, like Taliyah. He had been raised on a noble's schedule and when he did start running to the woods, he often spent his time more as an animal than a person in general...He was glad to know that Taliyah would get to talk with someone that wasn't connected to the Aellevandan royal family in some way.

"Yes, sisters can be...troublesome in the best of times."

Strangely enough, it was the runaway sister that Arastan found the most common ground. His older sister had left their hidden city decades ago in order to experience adventure. He had not seen her since.

Taliyah Ereven Theruvanen
 
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The talk of family and siblings caused a twinge of pain to pierce Taliyah's heart. She had no idea who her family was. She was an orphan before she was a fighter and it usually did not take up residence in her mind but this subject had brought it to the forefront.

"I hope your sister is thriving," Taliyah said softly to the newest member of their party.

There was a noticeable change in her tone even as her face remained the same amount of pleasant it had been the entire conversation.

"I am hoping that we can get word to Arastan's sister so she can attend the wedding," her words were soft as she squeezed her fiancé's side gently.

"You both speak of family and I wish I could relate..." Taliyah did not mean to say her thoughts out loud but it was too late now.

Arastan Aellevanda Ereven Theruvanen
 
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