The Dark Guardian

Chapter 2

The voices grew louder until Lokar walked into the room with Robin, at which point they dropped to near silence. The few still talking slowed as they looked around wondering why the others stopped talking. After a few seconds more the silence was complete. Gulping Robin hid behind Lokar, but her cover was soon removed as he continued to walk into the room and away from the door. Heart pounding Robin scampered after him looking around the room. Every person wore similar brown and green clothing, some leather some linun, some of fabrics unknown to her. But worse every single face staring at her held two eyes, eyes of cats. The colors differed, some tawny, others ice-blue, still more forest green. Robin stopped looking when her eyes met a pair that were coal-black. Instead she focused on the room itself.

It was large, and illuminated by a single shaft leading to the world above. Reflective metal bounced the single ray of light until it covered the entire area. The walls were the same stone as everything else, but they were covered with beautiful tapestries. Around the wall, for the room was curved, there snaked a low stone shelf, people were seated cross-legged along the shelf eating various meals. Endeavoring to ignore them Robin looked at the center of the room, there was a single wooden table with a large pot and plate of bread on it. It was to that table that Lokar was leading her.

No one had resumed talking by the time they stepped up to the table so Lokar's voice echoed strongly through the cavern as he asked her to grab a plate. Face flushed red Robin stumbled forward and picked up a plate from the previously unnoticed pile. She followed Lokar closely as he served her a bowl of stew and a piece of bread. Still burdened with the heavy stares of dozens Robin followed Lokar to an empty area of shelf and sat beside him. He looked at her expectantly and awkwardly Robin began to eat. Embarrassed by all the attention Robin ate quickly, focusing on her food. When she finished Robin looked up to ask Lokar if they could leave, but to her horror he was gone.

Swallowing she looked around frantically, surrounded by glowering faces Robin could not find the friendly smile of Lokar. She remained seated, frozen with fear until a man stood up. He was the one with coal-black eyes. Heart pounding Robin looked away and down at her plate, striving to ignore the approaching figure. Just as he stood beside her and began to reach out Lokar appeared beside her stepping between the man and Robin.

Gasping in relief Robin stood and clung to his arm. Wrapping his arm around her shoulder Lokar hurried Robin out of the room, leaving the man with the black eyes standing there eyes boring after them. After the frightening encounter Robin was almost relieved to return to her tiny cell, but Lokar didn't lead her there. Instead the two entered a large room with a four-poster bed. Sinking her feet into a luscious rug Robin walked into the new space. Lokar smiled "you did so well at breakfast you get a new room, this was my sisters room, before humans killed her." Robin looked up confused, "humans? You say that as if you aren't one". Lokar stared down at her his face completely confused. You don't know what I am, what all of us are?" Robin shook her head confused. Lokar lead her over to the bed and sat her down, "let me tell you a story".

"Long ago this land was a large stretch of prairie, and on the prairie lived the elves. We were a noble race, but then the beast came. It cursed our people, denigrated us to hole-dwellers, and changed our eyes to those of the feline. So our people rose against the beast and imprisoned it in a cell of roots, beginning the great forest in which we reside today. Then the humans came, driving us into this forest."

Robin stared at the floor confused "so you aren't human, elves are real?" Lokar smiled gently then nodded. "Yes we are".

There was a pause, then Lokar spoke again, "you look exactly like my sister in that dress, it was her favorite one", his voice was not loud, in fact it was so quiet Robin barely heard him, Shifting uncomfortably Robin looked around the room. That's when she saw the picture. It was of a young girl, her eyes were piercing blue, but other than the feline slits for pupils she looked exactly the same as Robin. Noticing this Robin turned to Lokar, "your eyes are the only thing that are different". Lokar laughed, his open mouth revealed sharp teeth, then he pulled back his hair, showing the pointed tips of his ears. "Wrong, we are more different than the first glance reveals".