Arcadia's Ignoble Knight: Dark Elf Arc

Chapter 66

Valen and his guards led their guests to the rooms they would be staying in. All the rooms were located about halfway up the base of the Sacred Tree. Since the group would no doubt be on guard if they were separated, Valen chose rooms that were close to each other, so they would hopefully be complacent and therefore easy to subdue if they got out of hand.

"This will be your room," he said to Caspian.

Staring at the young man with red hair and green eyes so akin to his own, Valen could not help but feel a slight uncertainty. Something about this half-elf bothered him immensely. While he tried to squash the vague feelings of unease in his heart, those feelings only grew stronger the more time passed.

The room Caspian was given looked no different than the ones everyone had received. It was just a plain room. The divan used for sleeping and reclining was placed against the wall opposite the door. There really wasn't much else. Elves did not believe in decorating their homes with lavish furniture and decor like humans enjoyed doing.

"Thank you," Caspian said as he stepped into the room.

Valen hid his grimace with a nod. He was about to turn around and leave the young man alone, but the feelings in his heart urged him to remain.

"Is something wrong?" asked Caspian.

Swallowing the saliva building in his throat, Valen finally couldn't hold it in anymore. He asked, "Your mother... what was her name?"

A frown appeared on Caspian's face as he stared at Valen. That look, those penetrating green eyes that seemed to peer into his very soul, was the same look his older sister used to give him when he'd done something he shouldn't have. Those eyes gave him away. Valen knew the boy's answer before he even spoke.

"Her name was Calarel," Caspian said softly.

Valen nodded as he struggled to contain his emotions. "T-thank you for answering me. It seems fate has a sense of irony."

While Caspian gave him a curious look, Valen shook his head and left the boy to his own devices. He could not stand to be in this boy's presence any longer. His own emotions were a mess.

He wandered down several ramps before stopping. Placing a hand on his chest, Valen tried to ignore the sense of loss emanating from his heart.

"Sister," he muttered, "What am I... supposed to do about this? How am I supposed to feel upon seeing your son?"

Naturally, he did not have an answer.

***

After seeing their daughter off, Lenismare and Vaculus knew they had to convene a meeting with the Council of Seven. While the king had ultimate authority, he still needed to present his decisions to the council, and even if they could not disobey him, it was important to make sure they were all on his side. The last thing Vaculus wanted was a repeat of the rebellion over seven years ago.

The meeting took place in the Hall of Seven. It was a simple room that was longer than it was wide, with a very open feel thanks to the lack of true walls. The large windows on the right granted a perfect view of the Sacred Forest.

A table sat in the middle of this room, one large enough to sit nine people. Vaculus and Lenismare sat at the head, side by side, while seven others sat before him, three on either side of the table and one at the very end.

"I've heard that Valen discovered and brought several humans and even a couple sorceresses to Fas Sheras," said an elf with the same refined features known to their kind. He had blonde hair, blue eyes, and a cold gaze. Like many elves, he was dressed in silver robes with gold embroidery.