Elven Chronicles Book 3: Life and Adventure

The wedding was a week ago, and I plan on taking the next two weeks off. There is nothing for me to do in the elven kingdoms, so now I am home with my family. I feels so awesome, but at the same time I am sad. My sisters have lost teeth, grown, learned new words, gone to birthdays, and I missed all of it. I feel like a stranger in my own house.

"Koda! Don't pull her hair," I scolded. I had just gotten in the middle of his mischief. He has grown so much and I felt like I had missed all of it. I hardly get to see the kids and I feel bad about it. My eldest sister is now fourteen and turning into a lovely lady. The others have grown taller and smarter and I just feel like an outsider sometimes.

Koda just gave me a smile and joined the others outside. Kalle, my sister getting her hair pulled, thanked me and joined the other three too. Even when I am here I am gone for half the day because of battlemaster duties. I run around blessing babies, speaking with my masters, and teaching.

Just then a boy around fifteen came running in. "Battlemaster Kida!" He cried. My mother came into the room after me.

"What is it?" I asked him. He looked nervous.

"The Old Battlemaster is dying. I have been sent-" I ran out of the house with my stave before he was done speaking. My Master's family was standing all over the house with my Master standing next to the Battlemaster's bed. He nodded to me when I came and sat in the room. The others just greeted me silently, their faces solemn.

"Kida, my father wishes to speak to you alone," my Master said. He and the others cleared the way and I entered the bedroom.

"Close the door, Kida," Battlemaster said. I did and sat on the bed next to him.

"Thank you for coming so quickly. I was not sure if you were home," his voice was a little more than a whisper and I could see how much effort he was putting into each word.

"Please just rest sir. I don't want-"

He cut me off. "I am dying Kida. I will be dead before you leave. I just wanted to tell you something important. Remember your balance Kida, and it will keep you sane."

"Thank you sir," I replied, trying not to cry. He was like a grandfather to me.

"All my battlemaster belongings will come into your possession and you may do with them what you wish. Take care of the people Kida, because now they will look to you for help and protection. Protect and teach the children, and when your brother is ready, take over his training for him to become the battlemaster."

He paused catching is breath, and then continued in a much softer voice,"You are like a grandaughter to me and my family will treat you as such. Please help them out, because they have looked to me for so long."

"I promise you this. I love you sir, like a grandfather." I was on the verge of crying now.

"Thank you so much Kida. You have brought me so much joy in these past four and a half years now." He smiled weakly before starting to settle in, and I knew just wat to say to him before he moved on to a better place.

He could barely speak now, and I finished for him. I leaned in close so he could hear me and said, "Go and join your wife. I give you an elven blessing 'Illye goinly eyet' may your soul leave in peace." He was dead before I finished speaking.

I walked out toward my second family. "He is dead now," was all I could say. They embraced me, and we all wept together. I stayed for another couple hours for funeral planning, and then left them alone so they could grieve in peace.

That night I sat up late, and my mother joined me. "I thought you were asleep," I said.

"I could not sleep knowing you were sitting here alone. How do you feel?"

"Having him die today made it all real for me. I am the Battlemaster and the only one now. Everyone will be looking to me for help and strength. I was just thinking about all of it."

"All of what?"

"My responsibilities as High Queen, sister, daughter, girlfriend, and Battlemaster. I have a lot of them, but he helped me out at the end. He told me 'balance' and that is what I must find. Without him here, I truely feel alone now, and I know that the people will solely look up to me. I just have to figure out what I really want to do with all the responsibility."

"You can do anything and everything Kida. You just have to put your mind to it. I know that you will get organized and have everything running smoothly. It is what you do, and this is not going to change that at all."

"I know, and starting tomorrow I will be getting my shit together."

The next day was the funeral, and everyone in the town/village was gathered to say good-bye to a great man. The Chief spoke, some of his sons spoke, and then I spoke. I did not realize how much I missed his condecending tone until I was standing in front of every one. I just said a couple of thing about how great he was and then I shuffled back in my seat fighting off tears. We laid him to rest and then I got an idea.

I stepped up after the dirt was laid and raised my arms. I felt every one's eyes upon me as I created a tombstone for my great battlemaster. I carved into it with some bending and walked away from the spot with the tears falling from my face.

Later that night, I joined everyone for the party to remember him. I heard some great stories and told a few of my own. It was a great way to let off steam and spend time with all the people who really love me, who loved him.