The Elf Girl (33 page)

Her companion nodded and looked back up at Danica. “We will help you,” she said.

Danica, apparently just as confused as I was, nodded in return. “Thank you,” she said.

“What exactly are you going to do to save her?” Stellan asked.

“We will give her one of our charms. It is an eternal life charm, one that all nymphs have to preserve their spirits. It keeps us bound to nature, so we do not move on to…well, Heaven. Nymphs are the spirits of fairies and dryads, you see,” the blonde explained.

“Wow, I never knew that,” I admitted. “But I always wondered how nymphs were able to stay connected to the forest even though they didn’t embody trees like dryads.”

“Our charms are what keep us here,” she said, her words directed mostly toward Danica. “For now, it will keep her alive. But the charm should not be used long-term. Not unless you want her to turn into a nymph,” the dark-haired beauty warned, giggling faintly.

“Thanks for the warning,” I told them.

The two nymphs smiled at me warmly. Then the dark-haired nymph removed one necklace of flowers that looked to be a combination of Aloe Vera and some type of lily. As she placed it over my head, she told me, “The Aloe Vera is to keep you alive physically, and the Blue Water Lily will keep your emotions intact, keeping you alive spiritually. The combination of the two will preserve your life until you reach your healer.”

I nodded, taking in the soothing scent. I didn’t feel completely healthy, but more like time had stopped. My injuries were frozen in place, put on hold. And that was enough for now.

“Will you be okay without your charm?” I asked.

“I will need it back soon, but I will be all right as long as I stay near my sister nymph. Have another guard bring it back when you are finished with it,” she advised.

Danica nodded, and then we all thanked the nymphs for their help. Before they could leave, I had to ask them one last thing.

“What did you mean when you called me the Chosen Daughter?” I asked.

The nymphs looked at each other and smiled. Then they turned their heads to face me again.

“We are not the ones to answer that, Ramsey,” the dark-haired nymph explained.

“Then who is?” I asked desperately.

Instead of answering, they each blew me a kiss, smiled, and faded away into the wind, their spirits one with the breeze.

I was left dumbfounded, and more exhausted than before. Why hadn’t they answered my question? And how would I ever know the answer?

Baffled and worn out, I decided that closing my eyes wouldn’t be so bad…now that I was preserved for the time being.

***

Okay, so closing my eyes and waiting may not have been the best idea, because when I woke up I was dizzy and confused. It took awhile for me to remember what was happening. I
had
slept a long time, much longer than I realized.

“Ramsey, you can wake up now. We are entering Tarlore,” Danica told me.

My eyes flew open. I tried to sit up, but Stellan stopped me and gently pushed me back onto the cot.

“You can see the city sights another time,” he said through gritted teeth.

“Fine,” I grumbled.

Luckily for me, I could still see even when lying down. It was evening, so everything was dark. But the city was filled with lanterns, illuminating the areas we traveled through. Tarlore appeared to me like a city of fireflies.

I could see elves running in all directions, eyes peering intently at our group, obviously trying to catch a glimpse of me. I understood why. Being carried in on a cot with one of the Queen’s guards must have looked strange to anyone watching.

“We will be at the palace in less than twenty minutes,” Danica informed me.

I nodded and kept my eyes on the city. Even in the dark, I could see how medieval it was. The houses were much more rustic than those in Birchwood City, and the people dressed in simple clothing. I could hardly distinguish elf from elfen. They each wore the same kind of clothing: trousers and peasant shirts. It was strange, yet fascinating at the same time. I looked closely at Danica and realized that she was dressed almost exactly like Robin Hood. I would have laughed, if I were not in such a dizzying haze.

She wore a long green tunic and tight brown pants tucked into green knee-high boots. A brown rope belt holding a small dagger circled her waist. The only thing missing was the green hat and red feather! The outfit suited her well, however, and she appeared more like a fierce beauty than a Robin Hood.

I looked down at my own clothes. Twigs clung to my shirt and pants, but my boots were in good shape. The clothing was dirty and ragged, probably from lying on the ground against the tree. My sleeves were pulled up to reveal several burns and cuts. I clenched my teeth at the sight. I looked, and felt, horrible. What had made me do something so irresponsible? I didn’t really think about my answer, because I already knew what it was.

Zora had.

A great deal of cacophony caught my attention to the left of our little procession. My eyes settled on a large tavern not too far away, where it appeared as though two elves were arguing. One, an exquisite elfen beauty with dark hair, was laughing and hiccupping. The other, a sour-looking elf dressed in the same way as Danica, was lecturing her loudly. The elfen didn’t seem to mind his anger, however, because she did a little curtsy and continued laughing. Then the elf pointed at us, whispering a few words that I couldn’t make out. Finally, the elfen listened to him, following the direction of his outstretched arm until her eyes rested on me. Her unblinking gaze unnerved me, although it didn’t appear harsh or angry. She curtsied in my direction, looked back to the elf, and gestured ahead of her. Taking the hint that she was finally ready to listen to his instructions, he led her away from the tavern. I couldn’t tell where they were going; the darkness swallowed their forms shortly after they began walking.

I didn’t think anyone else noticed the strange display, except for maybe Danica, because her voice was stern and disapproving as she said, “The palace is just ahead.”

But she hadn’t needed to tell me. I saw it for myself. The palace was magnificent. It was lit even brighter than the city, and shaped like a square with a slanted roof to form a smaller square at the top. The top was flat and I could see lights there as well – torches with bright orange flames that flickered in the night breeze. I wondered if elves went up there at any time. On each of the four corners was a large cylindrical tower. Three of its roofs were cone-shaped, but the front left tower was flattened at the top. It reminded me of a look-out tower. The palace was just like a castle, as Stellan had described.

Color-wise, the castle was a pale gray. I always thought gray was a boring color, but it suited the castle magnificently. The roofs were gray but looked almost black. I strained my eyes to observe more. Flowers and greenery surrounded the structure, making it appear more lively and colorful. I didn’t need to ask her first – I had already noted Addison’s favorite part of the palace.

I heard rushing water and realized I was being carried over a bridge. It wasn’t the usual draw bridge. Instead, it was built into the ground and curved up and over the water. No moat surrounded the structure. A series of streams and small ponds ran in zigzags around the palace. I saw the lights reflected off the water, and they danced in tune to the ripples. It truly was a magical place.

I looked to the front to see two elves walking toward us. We slowed down a little so they could catch up to us before we got too close to the palace, and stopped at the middle of the bridge.

“Welcome back, Danica,” a handsome elf greeted. He was wearing the same guard clothes as she, but they were more masculine like the elf at the tavern.

“Thank you, Thane. Let me introduce you to some
friends
. This is Stellan, Addison, and…,” she looked down at me, “this is Ramsey.”

“I’m pleased to meet you all. I would formally greet you, but I see you have your hands full,” Thane said.

Thane was dark-haired, with a sly look to him. He reminded me of a fox, but a very good-looking fox. His pale skin shone in the moonlight, his green eyes were so dark they were almost black, taking in the sights before him. Elves were always so breathtaking.

“It’s quite all right,” Stellan replied.

Addison hadn’t uttered a word for some time. I could tell she was still communicating with the Queen.

“Friends, this is Gabriel. We are both members of the Queen’s guard,” Thane explained, gesturing to the elf standing next to him.

Gabriel was a different story. He had a gentler look to him, but he also seemed focused, concentrated, as if he were carefully processing things at every moment, being sure not to leave anything out.

Stellan and Addison nodded to him. I weakly lifted my hand.

“Nice to meet the both of you,” I said.

Strangely, Gabriel took both of my hands and gave them a slight squeeze. When he released, I retracted them slowly. Then Thane did the same. I remembered Aaliyah and Ashlyn making the same gestures. I still didn’t understand why, and I always forgot to ask. I started to speak, but then I remembered my condition, and refrained. I didn’t want Danica yelling at me for uttering unnecessary questions.

“Follow us. We will take you to Galen, our most gifted healer,” Thane told us.

I was carried across the streams and ponds, and soon we were in front of a large stone door. Thane and Gabriel opened it and motioned for us to go first. Inside the palace, I gasped in awe. It was glorious; a sight right out of an enchanting fairytale.

The interior was decorated in a Victorian style, with the signature green, brown, and tan elf colors. The floor was stone and covered mostly by a green rug that reminded me of the Hollywood red carpet. Glorious, shining chandeliers hung from the ceiling in many places, and portraits of elves hung on the walls. I almost forgot my situation as I admired the beauty of the palace. I was lost in the wonder of it all. Even Stellan and Addison seemed mesmerized.

“Galen’s quarters are just down this hall,” Thane told us.

“Good, because she won’t be conscious much longer,” Danica explained. “The Nymph’s charm has been around her neck for too long.” Gently, she removed the charm. “This will make her vulnerable.”

This was news to me. I thought I was better off than before because of the charm. Then I remembered that the charm only preserved me; it didn’t make me stronger. Now that the charm was gone, I realized I could feel myself slipping, losing the protection.

“Danica is right,” I mumbled.

Stellan stiffened.

“I’ll be okay,” I assured him.

He relaxed, but his face still shone with concern. We finally reached the healer’s quarters a few moments later. I could immediately feel the calming aura that filled the room. Candles provided light, and the scent of herbs wafted around my nose. I felt oddly safe here, even though I didn’t know this place. I realized how different this environment was from human doctors’ offices. I had never felt this comfortable with my pediatrician. The bright white rooms and smell of disinfectant never comforted me like this particular atmosphere.

An elf, who I assumed was Galen, came out from behind a silky brown curtain. He was barefoot and wore knee-length tan pants and a forest green shirt. He was pale-haired and had large, friendly green eyes. He appeared to be very welcoming and seemed…
warm
. He also gave off the impression that he was ready to work, focused and alert. I liked that. The perfect balance, like a healer
should
be.

Danica pulled back her black hair and looked at me with her almond-shaped, olive green eyes.

“You are in good hands now. I hope to see you again soon so we can have a chance to talk about things other than you staying awake.” She smiled.

I was surprised by her sudden warmth. She hadn’t struck me as the friendly type, but I guess I was wrong. Though she had a tough exterior, she had feelings inside as well. She reminded me of Addison.

“I’d like that, Danica. Thank you,” I told her.

She nodded and left the room. Gabriel quickly followed.

“I’ll be right outside,” Thane informed us.

I inferred that he was probably our guard, here to make sure we didn’t do anything troublesome or out of line in the Queen’s palace.

Trying not to be offended by his presence, I turned my attention to Galen, who was now standing before me.

“Hello, Ramsey,” he greeted. “My name is Galen, and I am the Queen’s chief healer.”

Galen held out his hands. It was another one of those weird handshakes. I put my hands in his, and he squeezed them lightly. Though I was getting used to the action, it was still foreign and unfamiliar to me.

“Thank you for seeing to me,” I said, instead of questioning him.

“I would heal any elf in need, especially you,” he revealed.

“Why is that?” I asked.

“The Element fairies are not the only ones interested in your secret,” he said, smiling. “I have a bed prepared for you. You there, Elf, help me get her onto the bed, please,” he asked Stellan.

“My name is Stellan,” he told Galen. He held out his hands and they shared the same handshake.

“Help me to move her please, Stellan,” he asked.

Stellan nodded, and they both lifted me as gently as they could, although any kind of movement still hurt, no matter how gentle. When I was comfortably on the bed, Galen went over to a table and started mixing something in a small bowl. Stellan sat on a chair next to me. Addison, who had still not said anything, was rubbing her temples by the door.

“Addison, you can leave if you wish. I know all of the communicating has made you tired. See the Queen and then get some rest,” Stellan advised.

Addison nodded and walked over toward the bed. She took my hand.

“Get better, all right? And stop worrying me so much.”

She smiled, and I half-smiled. I couldn’t fully smile because it hurt too much. I could feel the pain increasing the longer I remained unhealed. “I’ll do my best. I promise,” I told her.