An Elf Messenger In The Mists

As the sun rose over the hills and valleys of the kingdom, there hung a mist in the morning. In the Keep all slept, but two who lye silent under the mist. Since childhood Lukas had been sneaking off into the early morning with an Elven marksman named Amdr Sirfalas . They would lye silent and wait for the wildlife to come to life.

Amdr was an Elf vagabond whom had befriended the young prince one morning, while he hunted the deer of the valleys. Lukas had just let loose his arrow, when he stepped on a twig sending an alarm instantly. As Lukas readied another arrow, one flew quickly by his head. Lukas immediately fell to the ground fearing for his life. Father had always said not to leave the Keep by oneself. As Lukas looked behind him he saw the slim shadow of a figure run quickly by and it was followed by laughter.

Lukas soon realized this was an elf.

He had heard of such beings only in stories his mother would tell him and Oberon at night. They were a timeless people that kept to their own kind for the most part and humans rarely interacted with them. They were masters of weapons and weapon making from what he remembered in stories. But why would an elf shoot at him?

Lukas scanned over where the laughter had come from and saw the slim shadow standing, looking down; and chuckling. “Not a bad shot for letting the animal know you were after it, young prince. It would not have gone very much further if I would not have shot it. Ha, ha, you had wounded it in the back flank my friend.” Amdr said as he pulled out the arrow that Lukas had shot.

“Let me introduce myself, I am no assassin although it may have seemed that way young prince. My name is Amdr Sirfalas, traveler extraordinaire. You’re not too bad with that bow, but you have to ask yourself ‘do you want to improve?’”

With this Lukas didn’t know what to say, he had never seen an elf before and was dumbfounded by it. “Are your ears really pointy?” were the only words he could muster up to voice.

“HA, HA, HA…Indeed they are my young friend, I also can move quicker than you would expect.” Amdr replied.

“Why would you want to help me elf? Are there none who need it more than me?” Lukas remarked with some hesitation.

“I see in you what I once saw in myself and I believe that our paths were meant to cross. You are young now, but I know you and your brother will grow to be kings of old one day. There is much wisdom to be found in the mean time though. Will you allow me to train you?” Amdr inquired again.

“What do you want from me in return good elf?” Lukas asked.

“Only that you remember me and all that I teach you. Also you can not tell anyone except for your brother of me. I live in these woods for now, but things are changing and I will be leaving. These valleys used to be filled with good berries and wildlife. Now all I see are briars and thorns besieging the land.”

“I’m not quite sure that I should trust you Amdr. What if you should take me off to a hunt, but I become the hunted?”

“HA, HA, HA…Humans are not a tasty meal and much too hard to digest, I JEST! I only want to help you. This has been a long time coming for me. I have traveled to many places and seen many people, but none bear the marks you do.”

Marks? Marks, my face Lukas thought. The scars from when he and Oberon ran off to the valleys against their Father’s will. The ones he received when running through thicket and thorns to escape the orcs that had come into the kingdom. This began his hatred of the orcs and the stench that all of them had.

“Well, when do we begin Amdr?” Lukas finally replied
“Now, and tomorrow and the next day…Until your hand is steady and you can reload arrows as quickly as me!”

This began the long friendship the two would share. They met every morning, hunted and fished and Amdr taught Lukas of the different foods that could be made from the land. He also showed him some tracking skills, but Lukas was never good at remembering these lessons. He was always focused on how to steady his hand and reload faster, shooting with more accuracy.

The teaching went on for years until the day that Amdr did not show up. Lukas showed up to the usual spot underneath the thick mists of the valley by the cypress near the river. He waited until the sun broke the mists. He had no idea why Amdr had not shown up. Finally he decided to leave.

As he did he noticed an arrow had been shot into a tree. Tied to the arrow there was a small parchment. It read “Will meet again, danger comes! –A” Lukas thought about the note for some time as he slowly walked back to the Keep. Was this from Amdr? Why wouldn’t he just tell me? They had known each other for years; Amdr knew that Lukas would harbor him if needed. He could have hid in the crypts for a long time, even though they were kind of scary.

As Lukas came upon the Keep, he saw the glorious flying of the Blue flag of the House. He had never seen it so animated in the morning time. Then he heard and saw the gates open and his father leading men fully suited coming out.

“Father,” he yelled and Prince Gideon strode over.

“Lukas, get yourself inside the Keep, I will return soon. I have to support your uncle Edward in a decision that we have all made together. Your mother and I shall return soon and remember we love each of you very much.” Prince Gideon remarked as his horse pulled him back towards his wife’s.

Lukas stood there as the dust began to fill the air, while horses and mounted men rode hastily out the gateway to the Keep.

-- by Keith