Soldier

Chapter 13

“It is true that we used to live side by side with the humans” Yoesphin began to say. Amos seemed to have lost his place and shifted the weight of his feet every second.

“But that we'd ever wanted the humans gone, is wrong” I didn't want hurry her words. Nicholas was now by my side. “This was a long time ago, even before I was born. I've only heard it through my fathter and read it in our ancestors book” “Ancestor?” Nicholas asked and raised his eyebrows.

“It's a book where we keep writing down important things in our past, both good and bad” Amos said. “Can we see it?” I asked and held Phee's hand. “Yes” He said and led us back to his cabin, which was not harmed by the fire. He pulled out an old book from the shelf. It as big with leaves decorating the cover. In the middle two blue eyes were painted, like the ones Yoesphin had and everyone else. I turned to the first page and tried to read the text.

“What language is this?” I asked when I didn't understand it.

“That is Berdetasun. Language of the elves” Yoesphin answered. My gaze wandered to the picture on the next page. A woman, with hair red as fire and skin white as snow. Her eyes were a bright blue and it felt like she was gazing at you through the book. She wore a green dress with long sleeves and on top of her head laid a wreath. She was utterly beautiful. I didn't need to ask about who she was. It was like her eyes told me who she was. “Francesca” I said quietly as I let my fingers stroke over the page. I turned the page and different pictures glued to my mind. Generations of the Elfoak passed my sight until my hand stopped to one specific image. Several elves laid dead on the ground, some with their head chopped off. A few seemed to be running for their lives. I wanted to know who chased them, who made them run for their lives. Creatures with armours and swords, two arms and legs. I closed the book with a hard thump and turned to Amos. “Why?” I couldn't form my words good enough to spell out a sentence. All of this seemed too unreal to even make sense. “That is the precisely question we've been telling ourselves for the last few decades” Amos said with a sad voice. Phee had opened the book again and was gazing at the pictures.

“Do you remember about what I told you about Erlikia?” Amos asked as he shifted his glance to me. “On the day we discovered the crystal was gone, so was our leader. We still have no clue what happened to her, but there is not a chance that she would willingly leave with it. Only a few days after troops of humans invaded our homes”

“Why didn't you defend yourselves?” Phee asked, with the pictures still visible. “You're elves. You can control the elements!” Her voice was sad and desperate. I went to her side and took her in my arms. “I'm sure there's an explanation” I said to her.

“We've always been a peaceful people, not even harming the smallest creatures. When the soldiers arrived we had no other options but to run for our lives. Many of our kind died and it was a loss we shall never forget”

Tom had now stormed out to the balcony while Nicholas stood frozen. I can imagine how their view on the world must been rather shaken. “And you chose to hide in the one forest most humans are afraid to enter” I said, rather as a statement. “But who lit your home on fire?”

“The humans” Phee's voice was barely a whisper, but enough to be heard. I moved my glance to her, amazed by her answer. Amos and Yoesphin didn't say anything. I tried to find the connection, but my mind went blank.

“But if this slaughter happened decades ago, and now with the stories obviously wanting us to believe that you no longer exist...” I pointed at me and Phee. “Then why did they come back?”

* * *

Amos didn't seem to let us ask any further questions and shoved us outside. It was like he didn't want us to know too much about their past. “Time to think about the future” He said and gave me a small smile. I sat on a rock by the lake, throwing small pebbles in the water. Phee played with her skirt beside me, Tom was ranting words I didn't want to remember and Nicholas went back and forth. My thoughts kept swirling around in my head and I tried my best to sort them out. If humans was the ones who lit their houses on fire, then why? Tom began to wander to the water and I noticed his toes were touching it. “Don't go into the water!” I shouted and he quickly withdrew. “What? Fairytales in the water as well?” He asked sarcastically. “To be caught by the sirens is rather nasty” I answered calmly. Phee sighed and laid down on the grass.