Wollfen was caught by surprise.
“
You know I am not of this world?”
Drexus nodded.
“
Vincent made me aware.”
It had to be true, only Vincent knew of that fact, after all it had been Vincent who had put him here. But something niggled in the back of his mind, something small. He dismissed it.
“
There is a problem, I have felt the portal itself and I am aware that the energy required to set it open is much more than I am capable of generating. Also it has to be of a unique source.”
“
Yes I have been aware of that, I have prepared a special crystal for just this very thing. It contains the energy you will require to do that job. Now understand this, it is only capable of being used once, after it has expended its energies the crystal will be dead. You will only have one chance to do it right. If you get it wrong it will take me years to make another.”
“
I understand perfectly. I would like to take a rest before I leave. I will use this same crystal to teleport back to the Kingdom then journey to Kassandrea.”
“
I will supply you with whatever you need.”
“
Thank you, there will be a few things.”
Wollfen paused,
“
Drexus, I cannot stand here and forgive you what you have done here in this country, but I will do what is right by Lord Vincent. It will be up to him to decide on how you should be dealt with.”
Drexus laughed inwardly, this fool had no idea.
“
I will accept whatever he decides.”
Drexus signaled to a servant in the wings.
“
Please escort this man to quarters for him to take his rest.”
The servant moved forward and Wollfen followed him out of the room. Madeira was waiting outside as he left the throne room and she approached him.
“
How did it go?”
He motioned for her to come along and she fell in beside him. They were led to a room in a wing off the corridor and the guide left. Wollfen pushed the door open and ushered Madeira in closing it again behind them. He had a quick look around the room, it was spartan and practical but not much more.
“
Please you will need to sit down Madeira, there is much to discuss.”
Madeira seated herself at the table and Wollfen sat on the cot directly opposite, there was only one chair in here.
“
Firstly, your Queen is an elf, I knew her awhile ago in the enchanted lands. We were all under the impression that she had died when a task she was entrusted with went wrong and the room in which she had been in was vaporized. It turns out that she was transported accidentally here to Isogorr in the blast of magical energy, she had triggered a teleportation crystal.”
Madeira looked at him with a questioning look.
“
There used to be quite a number of crystals formed and imbued by the elven race to do particular tasks. You must learn of this because until today I had thought they were all destroyed. It turns out that Drexus didn’t finish the job and that a number of remaining crystals are now here in Isogorr.”
Madeira nodded in understanding.
“
For now I know of three crystals, one of Seer, looking into the future, another a source of power made for the job I am to carry out and this one.” He produced the turquoise crystal from his pocket, “It is used for teleportation.”
He offered her to take it and she accepted. It felt warm and tingly in the hand and glinted like it had a source of light of its own, it was very peculiar.
Madeira hesitated as she realized an inconsistency in Wollfen’s story.
“
Wait, you said you knew the Queen before she came here?” Wollfen nodded, he had hoped she wouldn’t catch on, “But the Queen has been here for like a hundred years that the Clique knows of, it is taught in our history lessons.”
Wollfen sighed,
“
It is true yes, I am much older than I seem.”
He could see the concept was causing her confusion as she tried to rationalize this new information about him.
“
Are you an elf too?”
He shook his head,
“
No I am just as human as you are Madeira.”
Now she shook her head,
“
No Wollfen, you are not, who are you?”
He couldn’t tell her, it would be too much at this time. He didn’t know how she would turn out in her life either to be able to trust her with such information.
“
I am afraid I cannot say Madeira, but know that all I have shown you and all that I have taught you, it is what I truly believe in. Will you accept that?”
She thought on that for a while, it was a big revelation to her.
“
Yes, I will accept your word. It occurs to me that you are unique and if you live such a long time you would protect your privacy from the general population. But will you tell me one day?”
Wollfen nodded without hesitation,
“
Yes, I can promise you that.”
Madeira smiled, she felt like she was now part of some big secret and it was a little titillating. She handed back the crystal and continued on,
“
So why do you have the crystal now?”
“
I intend doing as the Queen has asked. I will travel to Kassandrea and descend into its depths to do what is needed. The task really hasn’t much to do with this world, but it has huge ramifications for the ethereal plane. I can tell you that it is a just and true cause. I will explain more to you later, but for now I hope you can simply accept my word on it.”
Madeira was a little worried. Wollfen was allying himself with the Queen.
“
And what of the Queen? Do we continue on as normal? Simply accept all that you have spent so many months teaching me is wrong?”
“
No Madeira, nothing else has changed. The task is an entirely separate issue to your society here. What I have told you before is just as valid now. I will explain. During my time with the Queen in chambers I knew that a lot of her ways are due to her ingrained beliefs and attitude of natural superiority to all other races. But I noticed she had a scar, a very faint one mind you but a scar nonetheless over her left temple. When I saw this I felt for her mental waves and searched them looking for the smoothness of their flow, I found there is an interruption.” Madeira was giving him another quizzical look, “It basically means she is brain damaged. It probably happened when she fell to the earth in Isogorr over a hundred years ago. How much damage and how it affects her thinking I cannot say, but it does. I am aware that her ways are divergent from the true elven path and that she is not herself. It is subtle, but enough that it has resulted in the creation of the society you now have. The end result is that she honestly believes in her ways and believes them to be true and correct.”
“
And your task? Is it not influenced by that very same thing too?”
“
No this is something entirely different. I have used the teleportation crystal to view what is down there and it is all as she says. Remember this Madeira, she still follows Lord Vincent and is dedicated to him just as you and I are. She is simply flawed by her injury. Do you understand?”
Madeira nodded.
“
I think so. I trust your judgment.”
He smiled a little.
“
So as I have said, nothing else has changed. You must spend your time spreading the truth.” He paused, “Madeira?”
“
Yes?”
“
I am leaving soon and when I do you will be on your own, but please know that I have total faith in you and believe you will prevail. Be patient and don’t push things. People will come around, remember how it was with you and the others on the boat during the sea voyage.”
Madeira nodded, there was a knock at the door.
“
Come in.”
A servant entered with a clipboard.
“
Good evening, I have been instructed to come see you about supplies you will need?”
“
All I need is warm winter clothing really. The rest I can obtain on my arrival at my destination.”
The servant nodded and made some notes.
“
Then I bid you both good evening.”
He turned and left. The clothing was a necessity with the Kingdom now fully into winter. He wasn’t sure if he would land indoors or outside when he exited the teleportation portal there and he didn’t want to land in a snowdrift dressed as he was right now.
Madeira looked at him, they were in a much warmer climate here and she realized she had gotten very used to seeing Wollfen in just pants. His sun bronzed and lean body was very easy on the eye. She had learned a lot about appreciating the male form and she looked on with a smile. She spoke up as he turned back,
“
You know what?” He looked at her querying, “You look damned good for someone over a hundred years old,” she winked.
He let out a short laugh. It was good to see him in good spirits. Now she got up and moved over to him. She slid her hands around his waist feeling his skin until she had him in a hug. Wollfen hugged her back and it felt good. She pushed him back a little and looked up into his eyes.
“
Are you hungry?”
“
No not at all.”
Madeira turned, walked over to the door and locked it. Then she came back to Wollfen and guided him to the cot. There she lay him down and blew the candle out. Feeling her way in the dark she managed to slide in next to him, give him a gentle kiss and snuggled down.
“
I am going to miss you.”
Wollfen lay there looking up and didn’t say anything. There in the darkness he let his mind wander. He could feel Madeira slowly relax against him and eventually her breathing became slow and deep, she was asleep. He couldn’t sleep right now. His mind was filled with a yearning for another. The way Madeira had laid him down and climbed in next him had reminded Wollfen of Dark and her ways. She was a tough nut who gave no quarter and asked for none. But in private moments, she was just like Madeira was, soft, welcoming and affectionate. He was well aware that he would be seeing Dark again very soon and his heart was filled at the prospect. Eventually Wollfen dropped off into a deep sleep and he dreamed of a reunion filled with happiness.
The next morning Wollfen was sitting up eating some breakfast that had arrived. Madeira was long gone. She had left in the early hours before anyone else was about. It would have proved very hard to explain how she came to be with him during the night.
He felt a little excited this morning, the anticipation had been building. In a little while Wollfen would be teleporting back to the Kingdom and back to his beloved. It was filling his mind and distracting him from more pressing thoughts.
He hadn’t given much thought to his conversation with Drexus other than what it all might mean to Madeira. He had told Madeira as much as he could ascertain at the time and Wollfen hoped it would help her. He got up and looked at all the winter clothing spread out over the cot. It was too hot to put most of it on and he decided it could wait until he was ready to enter the portal.
Placing the heavy skins over his shoulder and grabbing the wool skin covered boots, Wollfen left back down the hall and entered the throne room. There was no one other than an attendant at the main entrance. He walked over towards the throne and dumped his collection on the floor, much to the protestations of the servant in question. Wollfen began sorting the stuff out into some sort of order in preparation while ignoring the whining behind him. Then when he was done he stood up, turned to the attendant and addressed him.
“
You may inform the Queen that I am ready and waiting.”
The attendant scampered off moaning about protocols and disrespect. As Wollfen placed the heavily lined clothing on, he wondered if the winter was mild or heavy in the Kingdom? He guessed he would find out soon enough.
The Queen entered the chamber and walked towards him, her boots clacking on the tile work. Now that was strange. He remembered that all Elven women never wore footwear, it had something to do with always being in direct contact with the earth and feeding their magics. And yet Drexus did not. It made him realize she was further removed from the normal elven ways than he had previously thought. How was she feeding her magic? Of course, it came to him almost immediately. Madeira had spoken of how six other sorcs had fed the one that had taken him on in the tavern six months ago. He realized that Drexus was doing it as a matter of course, feeding off the hundreds of sorcs that dwelled within the tower. It was why she was so powerful. The revelation should have meant a lot more to him, but he was caught up with the anticipation of getting back to the Kingdom and Dark so he put it to the back of his mind.
“
Good morning Wollfen, I hope that you slept well?”