The Lost Princess

Chapter Sixteen: Celeblas

Earwen gazed about in awe at the silver-striped environment. Seemingly liquid metal flowed across the ground and up into the crevices of the bark like tiny rivers, defying gravity as they ascended the branches reaching for the sun. They mixed with its golden rays, creating a forest of priceless beauty worth the plunder of a thousand pirate ships. She had never seen anything like it. The elf princess wondered how long it had taken the forest to transform after the mallospen had been placed here.

She turned to Eramire to ask her when the company halted. Earwen looked ahead and felt confused. She saw nothing of particular interest, just more trees. Groben stepped forward calmly, reached out his hand, and muttered a few words. To Earwen's surprise, what she had thought was just endless forest now rippled in front of her like the surface of a pond disturbed. She could see the outline of a large gate. Once the ripples dissipated, the gate became invisible once more. They waited a few moments, and Earwen began to wonder if perhaps Groben had said the wrong password. Just as she was thinking this, a loud creaking noise met her ears. The great invisible gate swung forward, and Earwen laid eyes on the kingdom of Celeblas for the first time.

The elven kingdom was the most staggering, awe-inspiring place she had ever seen. Unlike the Aramgan, where everything appeared dead and hollow, everything in Celeblas pulsed and emitted life. Lapaki deer, meaning "spring" and known only to the elven kingdom, grazed happily, and Earwen was able to appreciate their uniqueness. Their fur was tan like any deer, but it glittered and sparkled in the sun from dining on the silver-fringed grass. Long wooden antlers spiraled above their heads, and delicate pink blossoms sprouted at their ends. Some of the older deer even had birds' nests cradled in the crooks of the boughs.

Earwen turned her gaze to the rest of Celeblas. The mallospen seemed to have injected its power into every crevice available. Everything was built with the tree's silver-streaked wood. Even the quaint smaller houses sparkled and shone like stars as the sun reflected off the veins. The houses became grander as they came closer to the large, towering castle in the center of the kingdom. It was exquisite and made entirely of stone. But even the castle was not untouched by the silver nectar, and the cracks in the stone and seams where the bricks had been laid were invaded with shining liquid as well. The power pulsing in the air lifted Earwen's spirits with every step she took in the kingdom. But even as the pure healing power of the mallospen seeped into her being, uncertainty pricked. Surely Goroth would not hesitate to try to steal the flower again.

As the procession made to move into the city, she looked back at Kai, who had followed quietly until now. But when the rest of the company prepared to move forward through the gates, he planted his feet. Earwen knew he would go no further, so she dismounted and took the rope from around his neck.

"We will take care of her for you," she said to the fire horse. He snorted smoke and nickered. Earwen smiled and stroked his face. "I know you will come when she needs you again." The kyllaros seemed to understand, for with Earwen's final words he reared around and galloped away, blackening the ground with his hoofprints.

"That is the strangest horse I have ever seen," Earwen heard one of the soldiers comment. She smirked and then sobered when she looked at Amara still unconscious in Thorindir's arms. They needed to get her some help.

The company was ready to move on, and they entered the city. The citizens came out of their houses to stare as they passed by. Soon the citizens seemed to realize that it was the royals from Calapheran, and they cheered and called out in excitement. But when they noticed the missing soldiers and Amara's unconscious form, they began to quiet and follow in the company's wake.

They soon came to the entrance of the castle. A grand staircase led up to huge double doors. On the landing stood who Earwen knew to be King Olphan and Queen Kallah. Around them stood the other important aristocrats of Celeblas.