A Thousand Years in the Making

“The light engulfed me. It was over.” The woman closed the little book she held in her hand and laid it gently onto her lap. “The end.”

“Noooo!” whined the boy at her feet. She tucked a piece of his hair behind his pointy ear.

“That’s it,” she said with a smile.

“What happened to them? What about Arisa, and Genji, and-“

“Calm down,” she said firmly. “You know very well what happened to them.” She pointed to the statue that they had huddled under.

It was made of a beautiful white stone. Two figures stood, embracing each other. The human girl held tightly onto the elf’s large hands, which she had raised up to her lips. He bent his head down to kiss her softly on the forehead.

“Awwww, but that’s too mushy!” he complained.

“It certainly is not!” rebuked the woman. “You’re great-great-great-great…” the boy rolled his eyes, annoyed. “Great-great-grandmother was responsible for the start of our entire clan. It is through her writings that we remember this.”

“Well, there are plenty of women now, so I don’t get why she is still so important,” he sulked. “She’s dead anyway.”

“Benjamin!” said a voice behind him. A small girl, probably no older than five, walked sternly up to him and grabbed his ear by the point.

“Ouch! Let go, Sara!” he exclaimed.

“Not until you say you’re sorry!” she said in an angry tone.

“What for?” He fought with her and freed his ear.

“For being mean to Granny Arisa!” You could see her bright, silver eyes cloud over with tears.

He looked at her for a moment and then flopped onto the grass in defeat. “Fine! I’m sorry,” he said up to the statue. The little girl sniffed and wiped her nose with the back of her hand.

“I like Granny Arisa,” she said as she stood up and hugged the statue. “She got rid of all the monsters.”

“That’s right,” said the woman, taking her into her arms. “Lady Arisa was so powerful, that her light stretched all over the world. Not a shadow was left after that.”

“Humph! A wives tale!” said Benjamin. “That would be impossible.”

“Do you see any shadow around?” asked the woman with a smirk. His eyes grew wide as he thought about it for a second. He looked back up at her and glared. He knew when he was beaten.

“No,” he admitted.

“Then it is true,” she said, beaming.

Their heads turned, alerted by the sound of beating hooves.

“Papa!” squealed Sara. She ran to the horse and jumped up and down, clinging to the stirrup.

“Whoa,” commanded the elf to his horse.

The woman stood. “You’re Highness,” she said with a curtsey.

“And what have my young ones been doing all afternoon?” he asked as he swung down from his horse. He bent down and picked up the little girl.

“Nanny’s told us all about Granny Arisa!” she said excitedly.

“Has she now?” he said in his deep voice. “Well, that is an interesting story.” He smiled at her.

“I say she made it up!” argued the boy.

“It’s history!” said the man firmly. He placed his large foot over the boy’s face and pretended to step on him. He laughed boisterously as the small boy struggled to keep his foot at bay. “If it weren’t for her, you wouldn’t be here.”

“I get it! I get it!” cried Benjamin. He had all but given up.

“Now, if you finally understand,” said their father with a grin. “Your mother wants you all washed up for dinner.”

The boy jumped up from the ground and began to run up the hillside. The little girl struggled in his arms until, she too, was set upon the ground and allowed to run after him. The man chuckled to himself as he watched his children hurry back to their home; to the beautiful fortress that overlooked the valley.

“To think we almost lost it,” he said before, once again, saddling his horse. “Thank God for strong women!” he looked back at the nanny and smiled. She curtsied once again.

“Papa!” yelled Sara from the hill.

He waved up at her and clicked his tongue at the horse. He galloped around his daughter and picked her up into the saddle. “Thank God,” he whispered one last time.