Elven Chronicles Book 4: The Final Stand

We traveled home for three weeks and made it to the air kingdom first. Everyone there rushed out of the castle and the houses to greet family and friends. Just seeing the joy on people's faces made me so happy. The other armies moved on to their kingdoms, and I would go to them in the next few days. First, I had to go home.

I ran all the way to the village and immediately went into my house. My siblings were in the back and my mother was cooking. She was reaching for something high up, and I grabbed it for her. I seemed to be getting good at the casual entrance.

"Thanks Kid-" she started to say and then stopped. She just stared at me for a long while while rubbing my arm as if to make sure I was there.

"Did you win?" She asked almost in a whisper.

"We kicked ass," I answered and that is when she started to cry. I just held her close for about twenty minutes and told her most of how things went. I told her every elf she knew was alive and well, too. My sister Kira walked in after half an hour.

"Kida!" She yelled and ran into my arms. I was a bit surprised at that because she is seventeen now. "I missed you and I am sorry that I am still such a jerk, I love you and and..." she blurted out and just sobbed. I held her close too and my mother just watched us and smiled.

My other siblings came in followed by dad and they spent the next three hours sitting with me at the table, and telling me what has been going on for the past six months. It was so awesome, and it was exactly what I needed to hear. We had a nice dinner and went out for dessert so that the rest of the village could see that I was there. I was greeted with smiles and hellos and relief that the battlemaster was back.

The next morning I helped my mother with some cleaning and cooking. I spent that whole morning helping with chores so Kira and the others could have some fun.

"Mother, I have to go back to the kingdom after lunch, but I should be back for dinner," I told her while cleaning.

"Can you do that? I mean, doesn't it take a while to run?"

"Not for me anymore. I can make it there in an hour now. My speed is incredible, and that is a huge advantage for me. I just have to go and play High Queen for a few hours."

"Go for it," she said with a smile.

I left after lunch and met up with my father in the palace.

"Hey Kida, I did not expect you today," he said with a hug.

"I felt like I had to come back. Besides, I should start speaking with those who have lost loved ones in the war."

He nodded in agreement and asked, "How is your mother?"

"She is just fine and she asked about you too. She is happy you are safe."

"Oh, good. Well let's go and do our duty to those who need comfort."

We spent that afternoon speaking with the families who lost someone they loved. I hurt to have to speak to so many, but it had to be done and they all appreciated it very much. Around five I told my father I was going to go back home and over the next few days I was going to visit the other kingdoms.

"Sounds like a plan to me. Hey, talk to Aaron and get a date for your wedding. I need to give the maids the plan. They have to have a lot of time to prepare," he said.

"Rose to you that, didn't she?"

"Yeah, and if you two do not decide on a date soon, she may kill you."

I made it back home for dinner and over the next three days I made it to the other three kingdoms and went around with Isabel, Elwen, and Levan to speak to the families of the dead.

At the fire kingdom, I finally got to see Alia's baby, Soren. Elendil was holding him the whole time. He could not get enough of his baby.

"He is so adorable, and I love the eyes. Oh, Alia, how could you leave him for us?" I asked her over dinner.

"There were more lives at stake and besides, I knew we would make it back," she answered, and Elendil just gave her a look but did not say anything.

"Oh and Kida, you are his guardian if anything should happen to me or Elendil," Alia said.

"I am honored, and will be taking great care of my little nephew."

"Kida, when are we getting married?" Aaron got to the point.

"Maybe I changed my mind,' I joked. He did not find that funny at all. "Ok, ok, I was thinking three months. That will give people time to relax and plan. Oh, and we have to have two weddings by the way."

"What?"

"A human wedding and an elven wedding," I answered. He smiled, and we started discussing what we were going to do.