In My Own Little World

I walked with Ariela through most of the morning. She chattered on aimlessly for the first hour or so but I was in glum spirits and Ariela must have noticed and gave up. I was glad for the silence. So many thoughts were whizzing through my brain that I probably couldn’t have held a conversation with her anyway. How was I going to find Evelyn? I was less worried about Drake and Angela; from what Ariela had told me they weren’t in any real danger and her father would be able to get them back. That was a huge load off my chest. But that still left Evelyn out there somewhere, probably being forced into all kinds of unsavory business. I had no idea what vampires did, if they had hobbies, or if he really needed her at all. Maybe this was just some sick game for him, torturing me for his own amusement.

The only thing that seemed consistent in this entire place was the gateway. Everyone I had met so far was concerned about the gateway. I thought back to the look on Maurus’ face when I had foolishly blurted out what we had done in our short amount of time in Tamlane. He seemed very concerned about it, just as much as Ariela seemed to be. Ariela had also said that he was on the lam, running from his own people. Why? If Lord Gareth has taken over the entire empire, then that must include Kendaleigha. That would make him a mutual ally against Sunil. So why did he seem so eager to whisk Evelyn away into the night? Could he possibly have had something to do with how we got to Tamlane in the first place? A light bulb went off in my brain. His sudden appearance in the forest appeared less and less like an accident the more I thought about it. There were just too many questions that had gone unanswered for my taste.

I was about to open my mouth and share my theory with Ariela but I was jerked out of my thoughts when we stopped abruptly at what appeared to be the edge of the forest. That couldn’t be possible because I had heard her mention earlier that we were headed for the center of the wood.

“Before I take you to my father, there are some things I need to explain to you.” Ariela whispered. She seemed very anxious, and I didn’t understand why. “No one has seen a human in centuries okay? This is going to be a very surprising visit. My father’s name is Tivon the Wise, and you will have to address him as such. He is a very traditional elf, and he is also one of the oldest. He may not want to help you-”

“What?!” I demanded. “I thought you said that he would help me find Drake and Angela and protect me! I thought elves we nice. You lied to me! Forget this, I’m outta here.” I turned around immediately and attempted to go back the way we had come.

“Wait! Oh please wait!” Ariela called to me and grabbed my hand. I turned around and gave her the meanest glare I could force onto my face at the moment, but it was hard when she looked at me with such big, watery eyes. “Miles… please let me finish.” I thought about saying no but it was like telling a three year old you hated them, it just couldn’t be done.

“I’m listening.”

“I had a vision of you last night. I saw you in the forest clearing and you were crying. I know you don’t understand how Elvin abilities work, but an elf’s first vision is special. It is what starts us on our life’s purpose. Something told me to go to you. Something told me to bring you here. I don’t know exactly what’s going to happen but I was meant to do this. I was meant to meet you, and you were meant to meet me. I am destined to help you. Somehow this is going to take you in the right direction, please… trust me.” Her violet eyes shimmered with unshed tears and she squeezed my hand. “My father may not help you. But there is the possibility that he will. Either way I have to try and even if he doesn’t. . .” She stopped talking and her face became unreadable.

“Even if he doesn’t what?” I asked her. She looked at me for a long time without speaking, before she glanced over her shoulder towards the opening in the tree line. A single tear that had been brimming slid down her face and she let out a small sigh. When she turned back to me she seemed more at peace, like she had won some kind of internal struggle.

“It doesn’t matter. He will help you. I know it.”

“If you say so…” I muttered.
She took my response as positive feedback, and she dragged me through the trees and into a vast clearing. It was humongous! This entire clearing could have held half of my hometown and more. The wonderful thing about it was that it was so obviously natural, no ugly stumps or scarred earth, only downy grass underfoot. A pristine lake clear as crystal dominated the center of the clearing, and a dazzling palace with airy cathedra- like windows sat on the far side. Smaller dwellings and shops clustered around the palace, and on the side we were approaching from were fields of food: orchards sinking into the earth from their fruity burdens, fields of every flower you can imagine, and gardens full of vegetables. Everything looked delicious, like it had come from the world’s finest organic farm. To put it lightly I was stunned.

“Isn’t it beautiful? I love it here.” As she led me down the well-beaten path towards what I assumed was the palace we were stopped by another elf. He was tall and willowy, just like Ariela, with fair hair and a pair of rather disturbing lime green eyes. He had a dreamy look to his features, and when he saw Ariela the look intensified.

“Ariela! It’s wonderful to see you today. And who is this oddly dressed el. . .”

He froze when he saw our hands entwined and jealously flared in his eyes, making them even more intense. His eyes traveled to my unusual clothes, my lackluster eyes and dark hair. I could see the cogs slowly grinding behind his eyes and he looked at Ariela, searching her face for an explanation.

“Is this about the dream you had last night?” He didn’t sound jealous anymore, he sounded excited. “You really DID find a human boy in the woods! Oh Tivon is going to be so happy!” Before I knew what was going on he had embraced both of us in a crushing hug. Musical laughter burst out of him and he held on a bit more than I was used to. Finally he stepped away to get a better look at me.

Ariela was blushing ten shades of red, a queer sight on someone who was so fair skinned. “Cai, this is Miles, the boy from my vision. It was a VISION, not a dream Cai. My destiny has started.”

“I know! That’s so wonderful! Oh my love…” I was shocked when he leaned forward and kissed her deeply on the mouth. Ariela melted into his arms like putty but soon after silent tears leaked from her eyes. “What’s wrong Ariela? This is good! You’ve been longing for ages to have your first vision.”

Ariela was still crying and she shook her head as he tried to soothe her, whilst I tried not to make things akward and politely averted my eyes and gave them a bit of space. “I’m just worried… I know I’m not supposed to tell anyone what I was told to do… but I can’t just… oh nevermind Cai, lets take him to my father.”

That was odd, I observed. What is it about her vision that has her so torn up? Cai didn’t seem to want to let the issue drop, but he did anyway.

“Alright then, we can talk about it later.” Then he turned to me and smiled very genuinely.

“Come on Miles! Tivon the Wise will be very pleased to see you. You’re coming could not have come at a worse time for us, but that’s all over now…”

What does he mean by that? I asked myself as Cai led the way towards the palace. I’m no savior, I just want to find my friends and go home…