Elven Chronicles Book 3: Life and Adventure

It has been two weeks since the attack on the fire kingdom. I have no remorse. Aaron told me it was kinda cool how I can do that, and I was right about it being better than torture. He said the others didn't understand because no one has ever done anything like that before. That still did not stop me questioning the act, and I willnot be using that particular skill too often. We have been hunting for more Dark forces, but it seemed like a random attack.

I was sitting next to the river thinking about this when I sensed movement in the water. Queen Lyalle and Lady Nanina came up the river toward me.

"Welcome to the forest," I greeted them, standing quickly.

"Thank you High Queen Kida," Queen Lyalle answered me. "We have been going around the rivers, and I must say that they are in better shape then I had once thought. When we left, they were disgusting. I guess things change."

"The elves do not put anything in them like the last time you were here. In five days, I invite you to come with me to all four kingdoms so I may introduce you to the elves, and then you may state your conditions. I assure you that if I agree and trust you, then most of the elves will too."

"Thank you," Queen Lyalle answered. "Nanina and I will most certainly be there. I must go and see to some other rivers to see if they are appropriate for my women. Nanina wishes to stay here and talk to you. Is that okay?"

"Of course it is. I would love the company." Lyalle said something to Nanina in their language and then disappeared into the river.

"Thank you for letting me stay, High Queen," Nanina said. She had a certain air of authority about her and I felt like I was trying to keep up with her. Keep up with what, I did not know.

"Of course. Please call me Kida."

"As you wish. If you do not mind, I am going to sit and be a bit nosey. I was wondering how old you were."

I sat down with her and answered, "I am twenty, but I became the high queen when I was eighteen years old."

"I have been told the story. That is a very brave and smart thing to do. I have also been told that the elven world has flourished under your care. You are a great thing for this forest."

"Thank you very much. I have begun to question that lately."

"I think I know why, Kida. Let me tell you my story and the story of my people,

"I was born over forty five thousand years ago. Time is like nothing to me, so my exact age is not known. I was born in this river actually, but it was much clearer and wider. Fish were more numerous and singing would make the water flowers grow. My mother was the sister to the late Queen, Lyalle's mother. I remember swimming around and playing will all the fish and creatures that lived by this river.

"When I was about twenty five thousand, the elves came. They started taking the water and dirtying it up. My mother and the elders had no idea on what to do. No one had ever just taken our water and challenged us for it. I mean, sure, we had minor fights with the Dark, but they searched for us and brought the battle to us. The elves were destroying our home and didn't even know it.

"So the late Queen took us all away to the sea, where Alia's great-great-great grandfather let us live. My mother and the others died five thousand years later of despair. They were too attached to the rivers, and could not adapt to the sea. Lyalle became queen and has kept us together since."

I was so into her story, that I didn't realize she finished. "I am so sorry that happened to you. What do you mean by being so 'attached' to the river. I mean, I love this forest, but if I left I would not die of unattachment."

"When a river women reaches her maturity, she bonds with a river. She becomes one with that body of water, and nothing can make her ever change her mind. It is from this bond that river children are formed. They are not born, but formed right out of the water and all that is in it. Our world is not one for men, and we are often distrusting of them at first. This is why my people died, they were separated from their other half."

"It would not have happened if we had faught for it, but we were new to that kind of thing. You see, fighting and killing for something you love does not make you a bad person. I would kill for these rivers and never look back. Defending something you love does not require you to feel bad or cruel about what you did to defend it."

I thought about that for a few minutes while Nanina just let me sit there. I spoke once my thoughts were together.

"Thank you Nanina. I understand that I should not feel bad or anything if I have defended something I love."

"Your welcome, and please call me Nani when it is just the two of us. I hope we can be great friends. Something about you makes me want to become closer to you. I want you to know that I will never go down without a fight again, and I will fight alongside you anytime for your kingodom."

"We will definately be friends Nani. You are brave and wise, and I like to see that in people."

We sat and talked for a while. I told her everything that had happened to me over the past four years. She was very interested and started to tell me things in their language. I learned some of the sounds and customs that go along with being river women. I decided that Nani was going to be a powerful friend. She is smart, agile, and loving. I know I can trust her. She let me come to terms with what I had done, and I will kill without mercy.