Elven Chronicles Book 1: Into the Shadows

I dripped with sweat as a sweet smile of satisfaction spread across my face. I had now finished level fourteen, the highest level a woman has ever completed. My Master just looked at me with a smile.

"Well done, you performed that perfectly. You may go home now."

Still dismissed the same way.

"Thank you sir. See you tomorrow."

As I headed home, I noticed that the winds changed. That was wierd. Normally they do not change at all. At least not until I tell them to. (which was another weird thing)

After we all ate dinner, my mother and I headed out in the back to fold the laundry. There was a lot of that, and we did this often. All of a sudden my mother stiffened and looked afraid.
~
This is it. Leto thought. I have one chance to see if Kida is mine. Here we go.
~
"Mother what's wrong? What is going on?"

"Oh my God," she said."He is here."

"Who?!!" Then I noticed a figure comming out of the forest. I placed myself defensively in front of my mom, and she pushed me out of the way while saying one word:

"Leto."

I took the scene in rather quickly. An elf stepped out of the forest and he had a crown on his head. I guessed he was the King, but I had no idea why my mom knew him.

"Hello Tina. Long time no see, huh. Um... you look great," Leto said this nervously.He was a little over six feet tall, with the same green-gray eyes as myself, and light brown hair. He had that same skinny but toned build as the other elves.

"Yeah Leto. You look like you have been keeping yourself in shape too. Your King now. Correct?"

"Yeah, my father passed away shortly after I...left."

"Hold on," I interupted." What the hell is going on? Alia and Elwen told me you knew about me, King. How do you now my mom?"

"Kida." My mother said this with a look of sorrow. "This is your father."

My heart stopped beating for a moment. I looked at the king, and he looked almost as surprised as I was. I could not believe what I was hearing. This could not be true. My father is Gabriel , loyal member of the tribe. My mother interupted my thoughts.

"Kida let me explain."

"NO!" I shouted this back with whatever I had in me. "YOU LIED TO ME ABOUT MY WHOLE LIFE! HOW COULD YOU NOT TELL ME ANYTHING! I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS SHIT!"

"Kida! That is enough," King Leto said. " Do not be angry with your mother. It was my mistake. I never came back."

"Please both of you sit down. Kida you especally. Leto and I will explain the entire thing."

I sat and decided to listen because I was still stunned. My mom took me back in time to a history that I was never told of.

"When I was about twenty- two years old, I was walking in the forest when I stumbled upon an elf. This elf was named Leto. He and I meet over the next year, almost everyday in secret.
After this time, we had fallen hopelessly in love with each other." My mother paused as if she did not know how to continue. She looked at Leto for help, and just as I was about to interupt he continued,

"I asked your mother to join me in the elven kingdom that I rule now. I wanted her to stand next to me as my wife and eventually my queen, and she said no My father was very sick, and as the only heir, I had to stay in the kingdom and rule in his stead. I wanted her to come with me because I knew we both had limited time left."

"I could not leave my family, and I did not feel comfortable with the idea of having a royal title," my mother continued her story. "I decided that it would be best if we stopped seeing each other because it was dangerous. Leto was not supposed to tell anyone that the elves were still around. He could not stay with me due to elves having longer lifespans and his committment to the crown. So we decided that it was best if we split."

I decided that it was time to cut in. "Okay so you two split. Unfortunately, you both had sex first, and I came around. Correct." I said this rudely and boldly due to being pissed off. I had just found out that my whole life was a lie and I found I had reason to be angry.

Leto spoke unabashed, " Yes, we did have sex. I never returned after that. I suppose you were concieved the last night I ever saw your mother. My father died a few weeks later from a sickness, and the responsibilty of the kingdom feel upon me. I never thought that we could have had a child. I am sorry." He had such sadness in his eyes and my mother looked like she was about to cry.

I thought about the crazy story that I have heard and wondered on how I should respond. After a few minutes of awkward silence my human father walked in.

"Oh. This must be Kida' s father. Correct?"

"Yes, I am," Leto replied without hesitation. "Though you must be the man who raised her. Thank you."

Gabriel looked a little startled and said," Your welcome. You and I need to talk. Let's go into the forest while Kida and her mother stay here."

As they walked away, my mother started crying. I turned a hugged her. She cried harder. After a few minutes she stopped and continued her story.

"Once I found out that I was pregnant, I had no idea on what to do. My parents chided me, and then found me a husband. The marriage was quick and uneventful. Gabriel and I spent the next few months trying to get to know each other. Before our marriage, we talked but never loved each other. After you were born, I explained the entire story to him. That seemed to break the ice. We grew to love each other, and people have forgotten that I was pregnant before Gabe and I were married."

"Why didn't you tell me? I had the right to know."

"I could not bring myself to tell you the truth. Leto swore that he would never return. Then, I noticed that you were becoming more like him. I am so sorry. I planned to tell you in a few years. I never thought that this would come back to me."

"What is your parents think?" I asked. "I mean, they found you a husband, but what did they say?"

"They never asked a single question, and just married me to the first man who would say yes. Like I said, Gabe and I had been talking, but nothing was ever serious and my parents did not know him.

"Wow".

"Don't worry. We will work something out."

~
"What the hell is going on?" Gabe asked Leto.

"Two of my elves had met Kida and told me about her power. She is an air bender. This is an art so old--"

"Yeah, I know," Gabe interupted. "Christina told me all about it. Your saying that Kida is a bender?"

"Yes, I had to come and see if she was mine. She needs training and she may with to come with the elves." Leto paused as if he was trying to phrase his next sentence right. "She may want nothing to do with me. Do not think that I am taking her away from you. I need to get to know her now, and figure out what we are going to do. I'll stay away from Tina."

"Thank you. You may come and visit so Kida can get a feel for you. For now, she will stay here with her family."

"Very well then. I will go and speak with her. I need to tell her more."

~
My mother and I were sitting silently, each having said their peace. We heard a noise and my fathers (yeah wierd) were comming back. My true father, Leto, asked for some time to speck with me alone. I told him it was okay.

"Kida. I just want you to hear me out. Okay?" he continued,"I am sorry to surprise you like this. I want to know if you hate me."

"I don't think I hate you. At least, not yet. What are we going to do?"

He laughed at that and continued,"Well, I'll visit you here for a while. and we will see if we like each other. Alia and Elwen will attend your special battle lesson tomorrow to tell you more. I will be back here after dinner so we can talk. Is that okay?"

"Alright. I will go with it for now."

(My father) Leto seemed to sag with relief. "Thank you. Can you go get your mother?"

I went and got her. She stepped outside to speak to Leto. I took advantage of her trust and decided to evesdrop."

"Thank you for letting me come back to see her. I was not sure about it."

My mother replied, "Of course. She is your daughter for goodness sake. I cannot say no to you."

"I know Tina. You need to know that I am not going to take her away from you. You have raised her, and I could never do that."

"That is all I needed to hear," she replied with relief.

"I'll be back tomorrow," he said. He kissed her on the cheek gently and went away.

Wow. My life has just changed forever. What is going to happen now? Am I an elf, or am I human? This has changed the ballgame.