Unwanted elves 23

 

Unwanted Elves

Chapter 23

 

“Tancyfrwys, Blaithamlwg, I’ve just got word from Silavara. Sekemhef is on the move.” I informed the two elves.

“Ask the centaurs to follow Prydythaur, Silavara, but follow only.” I reiterated my earlier instructions, “They are not to try to tackle him, for all their vaunted skill at arms, only magic or enchanted weapons have any chance against him.”

“I’ll remind them, Castamir. He’s not taking the path but moving through the forest, not very efficiently at that. The centaurs know how to move in the forest without being seen. They wouldn’t be very good hunters if they couldn’t.” Said Silavara.

“Sekemhef is moving through the forest and the centaurs are keeping an eye on him.” I said.

“Why isn’t he using the path?” Blaithamlwg queried.

“I imagine it’s because he isn’t an elf, even though he looks like one. The path’s enchantment causes confusion in all non-elves.” I explained, “Sekemhef managed to get hold of a token to get Iespr, a half-elf along the path and into the city. I doubt they’re easy to come by.” I said.

“They aren’t,” Blaithamlwg remarked, “Even though Sekemhef has his charm ability, there are very few tokens and it would take time to learn who has them.”

“We need to move soon.” Chessina said, crisply. “As he attaches great importance to the Book of Djehuti, I believe he will go to where he thinks it is, the Royal Tree.”

“Might he not look for it here, where it actually is?” Asked Blaithamlwg.

“He doesn’t know how to get in. Tancyfrwys said. “And his charm on me is broken.”

“Back to the Tree then.” I said, gently shooing... uh, ushering the elves in front of me, Chessina by my side.

 

“Silavara, has Prydythaur changed his appearance?” I asked.

“I’m afraid so, Castamir, Chessina. He appears to be a little shorter and his features are much more nondescript for an elf. His robes are now of that clouded blue-grey fabric that seems to be common wear among the elves we’ve seen.” Silavara replied.

“Tancyfrwys, Blaithamlwg, Some more news from Silavara.” I said, “Unfortunately Sekemhef’s changed his appearance again, to be unremarkable in a crowd this time.”

“That is... unfortunate.” Blaithamlwg remarked, with I thought, considerable restraint. Still, trying not to have one’s life incrementally drained must hone self control. I wondered how much of their lives had been sucked away by those blasted High Fey, particularly recently with all the high emotion. This whole situation made me angry. I suppose I was considering it more as I had come to like these people. Something I had never thought possible when I started this journey. How dare the High Fey drain elven lives, what gave them the right? The fact that they could I suppose. This was something that demon succubi did; another example of distant kinship with the Fey. I must ask Chessina what she knew about succubi, it might give me clues to the Fey’s methods. Could there be some way of blocking their ability to drain life from the elves. That was for the future however, Prydythaur/Sekemhef must be dealt with first.

“Silavara, are you following Prydythaur/Sekemhef too?” I enquired.

“Yes, I am fully at home in the wood, and I have asked Silvana to lend me the scenting ability of the wolf, so I can track him.” Silavara said.

“Let us know his progress please, Silavara.” I replied.

“I will.” She responded.

 

“What are your plans, Castamir?” Blaithamlwg asked.

“As Sekemhef has left the Enclave going to him there isn’t possible now.”  I said. “I’d rather not try to take him in the forest. The centaurs seem a rather... enthusiastic people, and I fear they would want to get involved and would get hurt.”

“But in the city there are lots of innocent bystanders.” Protested Tancyfrwys. “Surely you are putting them at risk?”

“In the city, there is much less freedom of movement.” I said, “I’m hoping to get Sekemhef up against something he can’t get through and deal with him.”

“He will recognise us though.” Said Chessina, “Or at least we must assume so.”

“I can use illusion magic against him.”  Tancyfrwys interjected, sounding excited. “He bamboozled me, now it’s my turn to bamboozle him.”

“And I can change the appearance of our clothes.” Chessina added.

We moved into the shadowed area behind a large tree and effected the changes to our appearance.

Chessina and I now looked like elves, while Blaithamlwg and Tancyfrwys sported different faces and we all wore different clothes.

“Silavara, we’ve changed our appearances with illusion magic, but you should be able to recognise us by scent while your senses are enhanced.”

“Thank you, I would have been confused otherwise.” Silavara replied via the spell, “Prydythaur/Sekemhef is not making very good time through the forest and the centaurs are getting a bit impatient. It’s fortunate that Evashawn is with us, as the male centaurs will obey her strictures, even though they don’t like them.”

“Let us know when Sekemhef is getting close to the city, Silavara.” I said.

“I shall. Now stay calm, Castamir and remain patient but vigilant.” She replied.

“I will.” I assured her.

 

Remaining patient was somewhat difficult and the waiting became oppressive. I was apprehensive about Sekemhef’s plans when he got here. Waiting to see what he would do, and then find an opportunity to deal with him was a rather less organised plan than I would like. I didn’t think we had any other option, unfortunately.

 

Time passed, and we tried not to show how agitated we felt. Fortunately, before too much longer, Chessina and I were contacted by Silavara.

“Castamir, Chessina, I thought I ought to apprise you of Sekemhef’s progress.” Silavara said.

“Is he close to the city?” I asked.

“Nowhere near.” Came Silavara’s rather contemptuous reply. “He is making extremely heavy weather of going through the forest. He’s more inept in woods than you ever were, Castamir.”

“I’m a town boy, Silavara.” I replied, slightly peeved by this disparaging, but sadly accurate description of my woodland prowess. “As a child, I was brought up not to wander in the woods, being told how dangerous they were. Every year some child would disobey the strictures and get lost and the locals would form search parties. Most were found, but some were not.”

“I remember Harmon asking my advice on how to teach you to respect the woods but not fear them.” Silavara said. “Once you got over your fear, you did moderately well. In stark contrast to Sekemhef.”

“What is he doing, Silavara?” Chessina asked.

“You mean, apart from falling over tree roots and catching himself or his clothing on thorns?” Replied Silavara. “Unless he can use the type of magic you do Chessina, or cover the damage with illusions, Sekemhef is going to be very obvious in the city. He’s also got lost twice, and I had to call on Silvana’s power to create game trails to lead him in the correct direction. Do try and relax, I’ll let you know in plenty of time that he’s nearing the city.”

“Thank you Silavara.” Said Chessina, “For everything that you have done. Castamir and I trust you completely.”

I relayed all this to the two elves.

“Honestly!” Tancyfrwys burst out. “He’s thousands of years old, and been here twice. You’d have thought he’d have learnt something by now.”

“I was just wondering about that.” I interjected. “When we were examining the path to the city, we noticed several magical gates one of which had a touch of the demonic. It could be that he used gates or some other form of magical transport, possibly demonic in nature, to move about the woods.”

“That... is certainly possible, Castamir.” Said Tancyfrwys, thoughtfully.

“Silavara, about how long do you think Sekemhef will take to get here?” Chessina asked. “If I don’t get the elves to relax, they are going to fly apart before Sekemhef even enters the city, and Castamir isn’t a lot better. I need to get them to the elven equivalent of an inn or similar. They must have something analogous.”

“Sekemhef will be about two hours to get there at this rate.” Silavara said, “You should have plenty of time to relax them.”

“Thank you Silavara.” Said Chessina.

“Tancyfrwys, Silavara says Sekemhef will take about two hours to get here. Are there inns or taverns or places where elves go to relax?” Chessina enquired. “We need to compose ourselves a little until Sekemhef gets here or we will be so over tense that we will make mistakes.”

“What are inns and taverns?” Tancyfrwys asked.

“They are akin to the eating, drinking and entertainment venues in the city.” Blaithamlwg explained. “Inns also offer accommodations. They are used by merchants visiting the Enclave. I have visited them on my trips there.”

“Oh, those places.” Said Tancyfrwys dismissively. “They are for the lower orders. We of the nobility have our own private gatherings for recreation and social mingling. I have no desire to go there.”

I was taken aback by Tancyfrwys’ attitude as I had begun to like her. I was dumbfounded for a moment. Chessina suffered no such impediment, however.

“By the Gods, Tancyfrwys, I knew that elves despise humans and dwarves, but to so denigrate your own people; you are a total snob.”

“Snob, what is a snob?” She asked waspishly.

“A snob is someone with an inflated sense of their own importance. One who denigrates those they perceive as being of lesser status than them, whether justified or not.” Chessina clarified.

“I am the Royal Wizard,” Tancyfrwys began, then stopped, blushed furiously and continued in a much more contrite tone, “And I’m a part human like all other elves, and I’ve been shown up by a human a fraction my age. I’m sorry, I’m not sure whether my feelings are truly my own, or whether they have been manipulated by Sekemhef.”

“You do need to relax a little before dealing with him.” Chessina said soothingly, “Have you ever been to one of these places before?”

“No I haven’t.”

“Then how do you know you wouldn’t like it?” Chessina asked, reasonably. “We are, apparently unremarkable elves, so we won’t seem out of place. Blaithamlwg, I’m sure you know the nearest such place, lead on.”

Blaithamlwg obediently showed the way, while Chessina tucked her arm into Tancyfrwys’ arm and ushered her after him. I wasn’t about to argue with Chessina in this mood and brought up the rear.

 

Blaithamlwg led us to a tree dwelling, apparently no different from the others around it, there being no indication that it was any kind of public establishment. I presumed that all the elves knew where such places were, and there being no visitors that needed such indicated. We climbed the stairway and entered by a wide door. There were a number of tables with chairs around them looking remarkably like most taverns that I had been to, dwarven and human. On reflection, this wasn’t surprising, form follows function. The purpose of such places is to get containers of beverages to paying customers. The furniture was more elegant than in any establishment I had been in and better contrived than in any human establishment. Dwarves construct most things well, including furniture, as they might be needed in brawls. There were many windows looking onto a balcony which gave a view over the city, the doorway leading out onto the balcony being open. We followed Blaithamlwg onto the balcony, on the way passing a waiter whom he instructed to bring us wine, coins changing hands. We settled down to watch the passing people and sip our wine. Blaithamlwg put his hand on Tancyfrwys’ and she responded by holding it in hers. They smiled at each other. Chessina and I held hands too. We watched the scene below, although I’m not sure how much attention our companions paid to anything but each other.

 

oOo

 

“Castamir, Chessina, he’s reached the outskirts of the city.” Silavara’s voice came clearly via the voices on the wind spell. “As this city isn’t like most, being very imbued with nature, my goddess’ power can manifest easily here. She is making me unremarkable to look at. You will be able to recognise Sekemhef by the yellow butterfly that is flying near his head. You have no idea how difficult it is to follow a butterfly’s thoughts. I have at length been able to convince her that Sekemhef will lead her to nice flowers. When we have finished, I will do just that.”

I quickly relayed this information to the others.

 

 

“There are many walkways up the tree.” Tancyfrwys said, “I will cast whispers so that we may talk and spread out to watch them all.”

“A good idea.” I replied.

We set up our watch and so as not to look suspicious, we couldn’t stand on one spot, but nor did we want to lose sight of the walkways we were watching. We did our best to look inconspicuous, with varying degrees of success. I think I was the worst at it. My staff seemed to understand what I wanted and seemed to be less noticeable by others. I had to keep half an eye out for people walking into my staff and move it out of their way.

 

Now we had something definite to look for I became less jumpy. I estimated how long it would take Prydythaur/Sekemhef to get here, and I wasn’t too far out.

“He’s here.” Blaithamlwg reported, “He’s going up the ‘stairway of opulent vistas of the oak grove’.”

I hadn’t the faintest idea which staircase that was, but I knew which staircase Blaithamlwg had been monitoring and headed there. An average looking elf, dressed in clouded blue-grey wouldn’t be worth a second glance were it not that he had a yellow butterfly as a devoted attendant. Blaithamlwg started up the stairs and the rest of us followed. Sekemhef almost marched up the stairway with a determined tread. He knew where he was going and would let nothing delay him. We carried on, cautiously up the stairs to the levels of the royal apartments, where Prydythaur/Sekemhef’s quarters were. As we came round the bole of the tree we could see two Royal Guardsmen outside those rooms. Sekemhef spoke to the two elves, who saluted and moved away, further up the tree while Sekemhef entered his rooms.

Now was our chance. In a confined space we should be able to prevail against him, particularly as we knew that the spell he used to escape before produced only illusory doubles. We strode forward to the doorway; and bounced.

 

We had hit an invisible barrier which prevented our moving onwards. This barrier had some give in it so we weren’t bruised, but it was impassable.

“It’s a force barrier,” I shouted, then seeing Blaithamlwg draw his sword to attack it, I continued, “It would take hours to batter a way through it. Tancyfrwys, can you cast this spell?”

“No.” She replied with chagrin.

“Neither can I. We’ll have to rely on counterspell.” I said. I could probably disrupt the spell with sheer brute force from the tower, but that might break a section of the walkway off from the main body of the tree. Not something I was keen on doing as we were some one hundred and fifty feet above the ground, even though I did know the featherfall spell. We would have to unravel the spell, and the more wizards working on it, the better.  “Chessina, Tancyfrwys, follow my lead.”

“A trio is a good number, magically.” Said Chessina. “Tancyfrwys hold his left hand, I’ll hold his right, and then we all cast.” Fortunately Tancyfrwys didn’t argue and gripped my left hand, while Chessina gripped my right, over my fingers where I held the staff. I didn’t think she chose my right hand by chance.

We began casting the counter spell, feeling for the pattern of the magic barrier. I perceived the texture of Sekemhef’s spell, which is as close as I can come to explaining the sensation for those unable to cast magic. I had hoped he had cast it in hurry which would have made it easier to deal with;  no such luck. Sekemhef had obviously prepared it earlier and anchored it somewhere nearby, and merely activated it now. I worked on prying apart the strands of magic holding the spell together, and I could feel the others doing so as well. I concentrated on the thicker, more profound parts of the lattice which required more force to break them, calling on the Tower as I did so. It wasn’t long before I could feel the spell beginning to come apart. The others obviously could do so too as they redoubled their efforts. Abruptly Sekemhef’s spell dissipated into nothingness and we could pass.

As we reached the doorway I could see through the part open door flickering light from inside. Fire!