Copyright (C) 2009 Jenna Elizabeth Johnson
All Rights Reserved
The Legend of Oescienne - The Finding is posted for your reading enjoyment only and not to be reposted anywhere else. Thank you and happy reading!
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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
THE ELVES OF DHONOARA
The normally short trip down the Sloping Hill took longer than expected, what with Jahrra and Jaax stopping every now and then along the way to greet familiar faces. Jahrra couldn't resist saying hello to the mailman, Mr. Dharedth, whom she hadn't seen since she started riding Phrym to school.
"Jahrra! My how you've grown! You look a full foot taller than last time I saw you." His kind eyes crinkled in amusement. "How old are you now?"
"Eleven," Jahrra answered proudly.
"You don't say . . ." the mailman mused. "She's gonna be a tall one, that girl," he added to Jaax. "Say . . ." Dharedth said, looking at the dragon more closely, "you don't look like Master Hroombra. Jahrra, who's your friend here?"
"Oh," Jahrra said in surprise, forgetting that Jaax only ever visited her and Hroombra. "This is Jaax. He doesn't visit often."
"Huh, well it's a pleasure to meet you. Jaax is it? I go by Dharedth. How do you do?" Dharedth didn't seem intimidated by Jaax one bit, and Jahrra was glad of this. The mailman was used to seeing Hroombra, so the sight of a dragon wasn't as shocking as it would've been to anybody else, she decided.
"I'm glad to meet you, and I'm well." Jaax cast a firm glance at Jahrra before continuing in a rather diplomatic manner, "I wish we could stay and chat, but we have an important meeting in town."
"Oh, I best be off now too. You two may have the day off, but we delivery folk don't. Have a nice day." He waved cheerily as he clicked his old horse on down the road.
"You too!" Jahrra called after the clattering mail cart. She stopped smiling when she turned and saw the look on Jaax's face.
He spoke before she could give his serious gaze any more thought.
"Jahrra, the lessons you'll be receiving and those who'll be training you must be kept a secret. You cannot tell anyone about them. And in case you're thinking of telling the whole world just to upset me, remember that this request comes from Hroombra as well. Luckily your mailman friend wasn't overly curious, but in case we see anyone else they'll receive the same explanation I gave him."
Jahrra risked another look at him, but when she saw more than just sternness and no trace of smugness in his gaze, she quickly focused her attention on the road straight ahead and nodded in subtle obedience. Had that been fear she saw behind Jaax's stony green eyes? Fear or not, Jahrra could see that this issue was very important to the dragon. As much as she disliked him, however, she felt that on this matter it would be best to do as she was told, no questions asked.
Jahrra cleared her throat as they came to the bottom of the hill and said, more to disrupt the awkward silence than anything else, "So these lessons are going to be like my Kruelt lessons? Top secret?"
Jaax didn't answer for a while so Jahrra shot him a sideways glance. He was smiling, though his eyes were trained keenly on the path ahead.
"So," he drawled, "Hroombra has finally started teaching you the language of the dragons."
Jahrra nodded. "Do you speak it?"
"Tehna."
Jahrra's heart skidded to a halt. She knew tehna meant yes, but she was suddenly terrified Jaax was about to start speaking to her in Draggish.
As if reading her thoughts, the dragon said "Shall we continue the conversation in Kruelt?"
"No," Jahrra said too quickly.
She immediately flushed. Now she was going to have to tell Jaax just how much of a challenge the language was for her. One more point against me, she thought miserably.
She was surprised when he answered, "Very well, another day perhaps."
Jahrra had been so absorbed in their conversation that she was surprised to look up and see a crossroads ahead marked by a crude sign. The arrow that pointed eastward read Aldehr Lake & Edyadth and the one that pointed northward read Raenyan Wilders & Glordienn. She remembered taking the eastern road when she and her friends went to Aldehr Lake once, but Jaax motioned her to lead Phrym down the northern road this time.
"I thought we were going into Aldehren," she commented, her voice overtaking the soft plodding of dragon's feet and horse's hooves and the delicate swish of Phrym's tail.
Jaax waited a long while before answering, "We're not going into the city but to the home of two elves, Viornen and his wife, Yaraa. They're old friends of mine and just happen to be excellent trainers in the arts of combat. They can teach you basic defense and attack maneuvers, fine tune your horsemanship and perfect your archery."
Then his grim mouth tweaked into a tiny grin. "Not to mention, they're the only people in this province that I can trust with this task."
Jahrra blinked at him and secretly wondered if Jaax truly trusted anyone. But elves! she thought with a thrill.
The path they now followed ran snuggly along the base of a range of steep hillocks. Jahrra looked around warily and frowned, despite the bright sunshine warming her skin. The trees along the dreary road appeared to be sick with a cold and the empty wood and its depressed surroundings would surely turn away any traveler that happened by; except for one girl and the dragon following her of course.
Well, this path sure goes well with Jaax's personality. My new trainer is probably just as bad as he is. Jahrra thought with a sigh, forgetting the wondrous images of magical elves she had envisioned earlier. She tried with all her might to make light of the situation, but she simply couldn't find anything pleasant to look at, even the occasional lizard or bird was dull and comatose.
They continued down the trail for another half hour or so and gradually the intermittent oaks became so crowded that any light making its way through the thick canopy was stopped before it could reach the ground. These trees, Jahrra noticed, looked less depressed than the others, but she was convinced it was only her imagination. A few more turns around the dusty lane proved her wrong, however, when they came upon a bright cottage tucked back into a secluded gully.
Jahrra gaped in surprise, astounded at the contrast the cheery white house made against its boring surroundings. It was a single storied place, constructed of stone and topped with a red wood pole roof. There was smoke of a peculiar purplish color rising out of the tall chimney, and the front door, a rich blue in color, was open to a stone path that led out onto the road.
Window boxes, painted to match the door, overflowed with flowers, and a trail of herbs, vegetables and wildflowers complimented the white fence surrounding the entire place. Glittering sunlight, looking like beams of golden magic, spilled through a great gap in the leaves of the tall oaks, giving Jahrra the impression of a fairy cottage she'd once seen illustrated in one of Hroombra's books.
"I'll approach first," Jaax spoke, jolting Jahrra from her quiet survey. "Yaraa and Viornen know me, and they're wary about strangers." He turned to gaze down at her. "That's why they live so far away from town."
Jahrra nodded numbly and watched as Jaax casually approached the beautiful little cabin. She finally felt at ease when a man and woman came out of the charming setting and approached the dragon peacefully. They were too far away for Jahrra to get a good look, so she busied herself with soaking up the enchanted scene while she waited. She raked her eyes over their small but impressive garden, picking out the plants she knew. She detected the fragrance of jasmine floating on the air, brushed aside every now and again by the smell of something wonderful cooking inside: a savory blend of roasting poultry and sweet, fresh bread. Her mouth watered against her will and she longed to climb down from Phrym and stretch out her legs, but she feared if she moved it would cause this wonderful place to disappear back into the dreary wood.
Several fat, mottled chickens wandered around in the yard clucking contently and looking for grubs. They were guarded by a watchful, grey-speckled rooster that gave her an accusing glare. A ruddy colored sow and her piglets ran by making quite a racket and kicking up dust off of the dry road. The family of pigs was trailed by a scraggly gray deer hound that seemed to find endless joy in harassing them. Jahrra smiled as the noisy bunch hustled by, completely ignoring the marble-gray semequin and his rider.
Jaax turned his head then to look back in Jahrra's direction. She saw him and quickly straightened in the saddle. She tried to look attentive, but the dreamy atmosphere made it hard to do so. It was almost as if this small house and its surroundings had been enveloped in some sort of magical bubble. It glowed with enchantment while the trees, hill and road nearby seemed to be sleeping under a cloak of dust and grime.
Jahrra kept her eyes on Jaax, hoping he would signal what she should do next. After several minutes of gazing directly at her without so much as blinking, he gave a single nod, letting her know it was safe to approach. She led Phrym slowly towards the edge of the path where the dragon and the two elves stood. She felt a strange tingling over her skin as she moved closer to the cabin, and she thought she could hear faint singing in the corners of her mind. She shook her head and focused on reaching Jaax, wondering if Phrym was being affected in the same way she was.
Once Jahrra moved closer to the couple, she could see that there was no mistaking them as elves. The man was slight and shorter than most adults she knew, and the woman was just the same. They both had dark green-brown eyes and long, rich brown hair that shone like gold. The man had his hair pulled back neatly into a ponytail and the woman's was fashioned into a long braid. They both stood attentive with their hands clasped behind their backs, the sharp features of their faces looking rather statuesque. If Jahrra had to guess their ages, she wouldn't know what to presume. The couple looked younger than middle-aged, but being elves they could be hundreds or even thousands of years old.
"Jahrra, this is Viornen and Yaraa, and you'll refer to them as Master Viornen and Mastress Yaraa. They'll be your trainers for your new defense lessons." Jaax nodded to each of them in turn.
Jahrra slid off of Phrym, not wanting to be disrespectful, and approached the two elves timidly.
"Nice to meet you. I hope to learn a lot from you."
The pair smiled brightly, and Jahrra relaxed a little.
"We're pleased to meet you, Jahrra," Yaraa said in a melodious voice. "We've heard so much about you."
She gave a welcoming gesture with her arm, the white sleeve of her simple cotton shirt fluttering with the movement.
Jahrra smiled again and gave a slight curtsey, something she felt odd doing in leather pants and an old stained, tattered tunic.
"We're eager to train you in the old ways Jahrra. We haven't had this opportunity in many years." Viornen spoke this time, his kind voice just as musical as his wife's.
Jahrra took a minute to wonder if this was an effect of the magic surrounding this place, but grew attentive when Jaax spoke again, using his most commanding voice, "As I have told you, Viornen and Yaraa are true elves, something that is not too common in these parts. You may also have noticed that they have inherited the gift of magic. It is used to help keep their home hidden. If the wrong people found out about them there could be trouble, so I want to stress the importance of keeping these lessons secret, even from your closest friends. They may mean no harm, but like I said, if the wrong people were to find out. . ."
Jaax let the end of his sentence hang in the enchanted air. He gave Jahrra another one of his steady, intrusive glares and Jahrra knew that he was serious. The grave faces of the two elves only supported the dragon's words and not for the first time Jahrra wondered about these secret lessons. She also wondered why these elves were hiding out in the first place. Surely they wouldn't be shunned in town? She took a deep breath and nodded to the dragon and her new trainers, signaling to them that she understood.
Suddenly, the intense mood was interrupted by an explosion of noise. Three young children, the spitting images of the two adults, came bursting through the front door of the cabin. Jahrra watched as two girls and one boy went tearing around the corner of the yard after the lazy chickens, which instantly became alive with terror. The dog that Jahrra had seen earlier trailed after them, barking and chasing the chickens in a playful ruckus.
"Oh, don't mind them," laughed Yaraa. "They have just all gotten over a spit of sickness and they've been cooped up for weeks." Then she added with a sly grin, "Looks like they've recovered from their shyness as well."
The children finished their lap around the house, breathless from their exertions, and stopped dead when they saw Jaax.
"Whoa!!!" said the young boy, eyes wide as saucers. "A dragon!"
The two girls skidded to a halt behind their brother, gaping in awe. Jahrra forced away a smirk as she reminded herself that these children wouldn't be so impressed if they knew what Jaax could really be like.
"Samibi, Strohm, Srithe," Viornen said, his arms crossed tightly across his chest, "don't stare, it's rude."
"Sorry Pa, but isn't it magnificent!" the little boy piped.
"It's alright, Viornen, I don't mind," Jaax laughed softly.
Jahrra looked up at him in surprise. When has Jaax ever laughed before? she wondered, unable to ever remember the dragon looking so much at ease.
"Hey, who are you?" asked the oldest girl when she spotted Jahrra.
Jahrra, who'd been standing back and watching in mild amusement, flinched when the attention was suddenly directed at her. It took her a moment to register what the girl had said.
"I'm, I'm Jahrra."
She blushed in embarrassment. She wasn't used to anyone taking such positive interest in her. Usually it was the opposite.
"I'm Samibi," the girl replied, not at all noticing Jahrra's awkward discomfort, "and this is my brother Strohm, and my sister Srithe."
Jahrra smiled and felt her muscles relax. She was so used to the laughter and sneers from the younger children in the schoolyard that it was a treat being so easily accepted here.
Samibi, Strohm and Srithe soon lost interest in their two guests and started a game of tug-o-war with their dog. While the children tried their best to wrestle the rope away from the hound, Jahrra tried to guess their ages. They looked to be four, six and eight in Nesnan years, but like their parents, they could've been much older considering the endless life span of elves.
"Samibi, why don't you go show Jahrra your tree house and your garden?" Yaraa suggested kindly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind a sharply pointed ear.
"Oh! C'mon, it's grand!" the eldest girl chirped, her face radiating happiness.
The children grabbed Jahrra's hands and dragged her off behind the cabin to see their world.
Jaax turned to the two elves as soon as the four children were out of sight, and just out of ear shot. "So, what do you think? Will we be able to pull this off?"
"She definitely looks human, but are you absolutely sure Jaax?" Viornen asked quietly, donning a more serious face now that the children were gone.
"Yes, absolutely. I arrived in Crie as soon as I could," the dragon insisted, "and she was only a week old when I arrived. She had blue eyes as an infant. That could only mean she's human."
"After all these years . . ." Viornen said in a quiet voice, his face paling slightly.
"Oh, Jaax," Yaraa cried, hardly able to hold back her excitement, "finally, finally she's come to us! Jahrra will be the start of a new era, I'm sure of it!"
"Now, let's not get ahead of ourselves. She's still quite young and has much to learn," Jaax answered. With a more serious and warning tone he continued, "You must understand, she's been raised believing she is Nesnan. She mustn't know who she really is until she is ready."
"You're right to do so," Viornen said after a thoughtful pause. "I don't think she'd be able to comprehend the truth now. We'll prepare her for that day the best way we can."
"Very well." Jaax nodded agreement. "For now, we focus on getting her strong and capable to protect herself. I'm counting on you two, for you are the best ones for this job."
Yaraa flashed the dragon a look of slight confusion.
"Jaax, we're flattered by this honor," she began, her usually smooth brow furrowed, "but surely there must be someone more suited, what about . . ."
"No," Jaax interrupted, his voice like a whip.
There was a silent pause as the tension in the air nearly solidified. Finally, Yaraa went on delicately, "She deserves another chance you know, and she's skilled in more ways than we are . . ." but Yaraa stopped when she saw the threatening look on the dragon's face. Whatever memory or notion she'd been trying to evoke fell short and stayed buried in her mind.
"I know who you're thinking of, and that is absolutely not an option."
Jaax finished this sentence rather harshly with fire building in his nostrils.
Yaraa backed down timidly, something she didn't often do.
"Besides, the energy it would take to find . . ." Jaax began again, but stopped himself and shook his head to clear it. "No, like I said, it's not an option."
Viornen broke the awkward silence that followed with a light-hearted chuckle, "You'll just have to make do with us then. We'll start with the basics after tea. Did you test her already Jaax?"
Jaax didn't answer at first. He was staring at the ground, his thoughts clearly somewhere else. He squeezed his eyes shut and took a sharp breath, releasing a miniscule stream of smoke as he exhaled, "Yes, and I would start at the beginning. She has some skill, but it wouldn't hurt to start her from the bottom and work your way up."
"Will you join us for tea, then?" Viornen queried.
"Oh no, I can't. I have business outside of Oescienne that I've neglected for too long as it is. It's taken precious time stopping in Oescienne at all, but it had been so long since I checked in on the girl," Jaax said coldly, without emotion.
Yaraa, unable to be fooled by Jaax's iron facade, smiled lightly. She donned a maternal look and placed a gentle hand on the dragon's scaly foreleg, "Someday I hope to see you back to your old self Jaax, before . . . well, everything. Until then, promise me that you'll stop every now and then to relax a little and enjoy this life, however dismal it may seem."
Jaax gazed back with those silver green eyes of his and said shortly, "Life can't truly be enjoyed until the Tyrant is purged from his throne. Goodbye Yaraa, Viornen. I'll see you again, but at what time I don't know."
The two elves nodded somberly, as if honoring some ancient code that had been long since forgotten. Jaax returned the gesture just as quietly and just as slowly before turning to leave. As he started back down the lane he spotted Jahrra in the yard behind the cabin, bent over with her hands on her knees, examining the deep blue flowers the elfin children were pointing out to her. He must have lingered too long, because Jahrra turned her head and saw him. She stood up straight, said something to the children, and walked over to the dragon.
"Where are you going?"
Jahrra's question sounded sincere, catching Jaax a little off guard.
"I have to leave, but you are to stay here and begin your training. I take it you remember how to get home?"
Jahrra's earnestness vanished the instant Jaax's sarcasm registered, taking her feelings of disappointment with it.
Her cobalt eyes darkened as she crossed her arms ferociously and took on an unyielding pose, "Oh, so you're just going to leave me out in the middle of nowhere with perfect strangers while you go off to tend to your "business"?"
Jaax felt the beginning of a dry smile as he turned his gaze down the lane. He took his time to answer, something that chafed at Jahrra's patience.
"They're not complete strangers," he finally said with an amused sigh. "I know them quite well and am not at all worried about leaving you here with them. I just hope they can make something out of you."
Jahrra had grown too irate to answer, her face turning red like a boiled thermometer.
When she didn't reply to his rude statement, Jaax continued, "I'll see you in a few years, if I get a chance to visit this part of Ethoes again. If not, good luck with your training."
Jaax snapped open his giant wings and lifted effortlessly into the blue sky, leaving a flustered Jahrra to kick at the earth in irritation. She was angry that she had actually felt disappointed he was leaving; angry that she didn't have a snide reply for him. Now she wished she hadn't apologized earlier for hitting him so hard with that branch.
Jahrra tilted her head so that she was looking at the canopy of the giant oaks, closed her eyes, and exhaled slowly. She was overwhelmingly tempted to gather up Phrym and leave this bright little cottage for good. Alright, she thought to herself as the light from the sun filtered through the green leaves and onto her face, I hate doing anything that Jaax says I have to do, but on the other hand these so called 'lessons' could be very useful against the twins.
She smiled as she imagined dropkicking Ellysian and sparring with Eydeth in front of the whole school, only to leave him sprawled in the dust. Oh yes, that would definitely be worth giving into Jaax's wishes. And besides, it's not like he'll be around to spy on me and make his rude comments.
Feeling that Strohm, Samibi and Srithe were quite fine on their own, Jahrra headed back down the shaded lane to where Viornen and Yaraa patiently waited, watching her like a pair of attentive hawks. She felt guilty that they'd been kept waiting as it was, but she didn't want to approach them when she was still in a temper over Jaax.
Of course, the elves knew this already and used the time it took her to walk up the road to discuss their own private thoughts.
"That dragon sure has gotten into the habit of quick fixes," Yaraa whispered amusedly to her husband.
"He does seem to be in such a hurry these days," Viornen answered, just as quietly. "I wonder sometimes if he even thinks his decisions through."
Yaraa hugged her elbows in thought. "The girl is quite young, that's for sure, but she has spirit and although I admire her own unique wisdom, there is much she needs to learn."
"She'll be alright, I think," Viornen murmured as Jahrra closed the gap between them, leaving all other speculation for another time.
"Sorry," Jahrra said bashfully, "your children were so excited about showing me their garden, and then we found the toad . . ."
"Don't worry about it," Yaraa cut in kindly. "They do have a way of kidnapping newcomers; we don't get many visitors out here. Besides, it's only natural you'd want to talk to Jaax before he left."
Jahrra flushed at this statement. She hadn't realized they'd been watching her for so long.
"Oh, well, I wasn't . . ." she stammered, not wanting to admit she'd wanted to say goodbye to the dragon and feeling a bit ashamed they'd read her secret thoughts so easily.
"He shouldn't have left you so suddenly like that. You have every right to be angry." Viornen's kind smile seemed to relax their surroundings.
"How did you know I was angry?" Jahrra asked humbly, knowing that she'd done her best to let that emotion pass before approaching the couple.
"Well," Viornen said with an impish grin, "other than the fact that you attacked the road with your foot when Jaax flew off, I was born with the ability to sense the slightest change in moods."
Jahrra stared blankly. "You can be born with that ability?"
Viornen released a good-natured laugh, and Yaraa smiled along with him.
"I'm sorry!" Jahrra said apologetically, flushing once again. "That was extremely rude of me!"
She was completely mortified by now. These elves could read her emotions like words on a page and she didn't even know them.
"It's quite alright, I assure you," Viornen chuckled. "It's not as simple as that, so I'll explain. People, of all races and species, have a chance of being born with magical properties. Some have stronger ties to magic than others and some have none at all. It's not detectable at first, but once it is, depending on one's level of magic, they are trained to use it and recognize it.
"Now, elves are more inclined to be magical and so are dragons and dwarves, but that doesn't exclude all the other races. I myself happened to be born with a slight level of foresight. I can't read the future; in fact, a mere fortuneteller would put me to shame. What I can do is sense emotions in other people better than most, and I can bring out the good emotions in other living things as well. That's why our plants and trees seem so happy."
Viornen waved his hand around gracefully to point out what he was describing. Jahrra eased a little more, eager to learn all she could about these elves.
"But my abilities are nothing compared to Yaraa's. She can speak to animals." Viornen gazed at his wife in open admiration.
"You can, really?" Jahrra said excitedly, forgetting all about proper etiquette among new adult acquaintances.
"Now Viornen, I can't exactly speak to them, but I can touch their minds. Bring me your horse and don't tell me his name," Yaraa said calmly, shifting to a more relaxed posture.
Jahrra quickly scurried over to the other side of the road and grabbed Phrym by the reins, leading him grumpily away from the patch of clover he had been devouring.
"Now, this is what I can do."
Yaraa gently lifted her arm and stretched her hand out flat, placing her palm upon Phrym's forehead.
Phrym, who was usually twitchy around strangers touching him, acted as if nothing were happening. Then suddenly he became alert and looked Yaraa directly in the eye.
After some time, the elfin woman spoke, "He tells me that you gave him the name Phrym. He also tells me that he's not a horse, but a semequin, and is glad to have you as a friend."
Yaraa pulled her hand away from Phrym's forehead and Jahrra almost cried with happiness. She hugged Phrym's neck and he nickered lightly as if laughing at Jahrra for ever questioning his fondness.
"You can take him back now. He also told me those are the best clovers he's ever eaten."
Yaraa smiled as Jahrra led Phrym back to his snack. Jahrra took her time ambling back to where the two elves stood and gazed longingly at both of them, eager to learn more. Yaraa and Viornen may have thought their own abilities were insubstantial, but she thought they were fantastic.
"You don't need to be so anxious Jahrra. We're going to help you grow into someone far greater than you know." Viornen tried not to sound so serious, and donned a fresh smile as he continued, "But for today, I think we'll just get to know one another a little better, that way you won't feel so overwhelmed when the real training begins."
The elves invited her into their home to have tea and Jahrra gladly accepted. When she stepped through the front door, she was immediately overwhelmed by the size of the place. The room they stood in was rather large and spacious. Two fat couches and a few comfortable looking chairs dominated the living space with a wide stone table set between them. The walls were covered in bookshelves from ceiling to floor, generously stuffed with books of every size and color. On the opposite end of the room was a pair of blue and green stained glass doors that led out into the backyard.
Jahrra gulped and peeked into the kitchen, just off of the main room. Great ropes of faded, dried flowers and vegetables hung in the rafters. A faint scent of cinnamon, vanilla and ginger spiced the warm, soft air pouring from the oven, and the age-polished stone floor that stretched beneath Jahrra's feet felt smooth and cool even through her leather boots.
Viornen motioned Jahrra to one of the overly stuffed chairs as he took a seat on the couch. Yaraa glided into the kitchen and poured some tea into three cups, setting them on a tray. She offered the cups to Viornen and Jahrra, and then took the tray back into the kitchen, disappearing from sight for a while.
"Now, we'll definitely start you with the basics, whether or not you've had formal training before. Have you?" Viornen stated, lifting his cup of tea from the unusual table.
It looked like a foggy multi-colored crystal that had been cut and polished to just the right size and shape. Jahrra had never seen anything like it, and didn't hear Viornen's question at first: she was too busy studying the stone's intricate beauty.
Viornen smiled as Jahrra continued to be lost in the beauty of the coffee table.
"It comes from our home land, the great valley of Dhonoara in the east."
"Huh?" Jahrra turned her goggle-eyed gaze to the elf.
"The stone slab that is the top of our table." He gestured towards the table top, not at all slighted by her bemusement. "It was extremely difficult to get it this far, but Yaraa and I had to have a piece of the walls of Dhonoara to remind us . . ."
The elfin man paused, cleared his throat and set his cup down, clacking rather noisily against the smooth surface of the table. Jahrra gazed at the polished stone with renewed vigor, absolutely flabbergasted at this new bit of information. Dhonoara! That's miles upon miles away! she thought, remembering that she'd seen the name once on one of Hroombra's maps of Ethoes.
She hadn't noticed the dark shadow crossing Viornen's face, however, but by the time she glanced back up at him, the shadow was gone.
"I thought it'd be a good idea to get to know each other a little better before we start training. How about we start by telling our life stories so far?"
Viornen smiled once again, shaking off his moment of dark reverie. "Yaraa, would you like to do the honors?" he prompted.
"Oh, most certainly," Yaraa answered cheerfully, sitting down on the great couch next to her husband. Jahrra jumped slightly, surprised that she had rejoined them so quietly.
Jahrra listened intently as Yaraa spun the tale of their past. Both the elves had been born in Dhonoara in a time of trouble and hardship. It was right around the time the Crimson King took power, when their unique abilities could be easily exploited by the Tyrant. Shortly after they married, they'd fled their homeland, seeking refuge in the west. Yaraa explained that it was extremely hard to leave Dhonoara Valley, so they'd brought a piece of the valley with them. She rapped her knuckles against the coffee table and grinned.
After settling in Oescienne, they started a family. They raised their first children, now grown and living in other parts of the west. As the years passed, they longed for more children and so came Srithe, Strohm and Samibi to fill their home and keep them busy.
Yaraa recited several centuries of history as if it had only been a decade, leaving Jahrra to sit and gape. They've lived through all of that? Through the creation of the Tanaan Dragons? Jahrra was astounded and desperately wanted to ask a thousand questions, but she knew she'd be treading on fragile ground. Instead, she sat there with her head buzzing, wondering how her own story could compare to such a broad history.
"I hope that wasn't too long for you Jahrra. I kept it as short as I possibly could."
Yaraa was smiling warmly once again, and Jahrra grinned reservedly.
"Now for your life story," Viornen encouraged, picking up his neglected tea once again and looking at Jahrra in anticipation as he took a cautious sip.
"There's not much to say," she said, rather modestly with a weak grin.
"Oh, I'm sure that's not true," Yaraa persuaded as she cuddled her own mug in her delicate hands. "Go on, it'll help us to understand your true character."
So Jahrra took a deep breath and dove into her own story, secretly thinking of how to make it more interesting so that it might be worthy of these elves. She told them about how she was found abandoned in Crie and how she was adopted by Lynhi and Abdhe. She described her own little cottage and apple orchard, home until her parents died and Hroombra became her guardian.
Jahrra paused when she got to this part of her story. She hadn't realized that talking about the death of her parents as a passing bit of information in a tale could have such an effect on her, and she had to take a few short breaths before continuing. She talked about Gieaun and Scede and how she acquired Phrym, but ended her tale explaining her feelings towards school.
"I don't enjoy school so much; some of my classmates are simply dreadful. There are two Resai children who absolutely despise me, but Gieaun, Scede and I find ways to avoid them."
Jahrra took a quick sip of her tepid tea and eyed the two elves nervously.
"Are you finished?" Yaraa asked kindly when she saw that the girl was not going to continue.
Jahrra nodded, breathing a sigh of relief.
"I know you may not believe it, but your story will help us in formulating your lessons," Viornen said, draining his cup and placing it down upon the polished stone table with a hollow thlunk. "We don't focus on just the physical nature of training, but also on the mental aspects of surviving in a challenging world as well."
For the remainder of Jahrra's visit, the two elves described some of the exercises she would come to learn. She listened in wonder as they depicted a few of the different skills she would gain as she progressed in the program. Viornen spoke of the many ways to break away from an enemy or wriggle free from a tightly bound rope. Yaraa explained the dexterity it took to sneak up on someone in the middle of a forest full of dry leaves without making a sound. Viornen then listed off the exercises needed for the various forms of fighting: using a sword, using a bow and using one's bare hands if the need to defend oneself or another arose. Once Viornen, Yaraa and Jahrra finished the last of the tea, the two elves stood to bid farewell to their new student.
"We've learned much about you today Jahrra," Viornen said after some time, "but it's getting late. We'll meet again tomorrow to discuss your training schedule and maybe show you a few maneuvers."
Jahrra looked up expectantly, but Viornen continued with a raised hand before she could form any words.
"Don't worry, these lessons won't interfere with your schooling. Your training will be taking place strictly during the summer months. As you grow older, however, we will expand your practice to also include the days you don't have school."
"This doesn't mean, however," Yaraa added firmly, "that you don't have to practice during the rest of the year. We expect you to keep up with exercises, flexibility stretches and meditation."
Jahrra nodded resolutely, her head still buzzing with this new endeavor, and went to gather Phrym from his clover patch. Though she had a thousand questions on her mind, she thought it best to ask them later.
"One more thing," Yaraa added as Jahrra climbed into the saddle. "We wish for you to keep these lessons secret. We live far away from town for a reason. You may tell your closest friends, but don't tell them our names or where you take your lessons."
Jahrra promised them both that she'd keep their secret, just as she'd promised Jaax. She grinned secretly, however, when she imagined how satisfying it would have been to rub it in Eydeth's and Ellysian's faces. She was certain they would turn an awful shade of green if they knew she was receiving such privileged lessons from true elves.
Viornen and Yaraa waved one last time and then watched her in silence as she and Phrym walked slowly down the lane.
"She already shows an appreciation for Ethoes and all the life that she gives," Yaraa murmured once the girl and her semequin were far enough away. "The way she observes the life around her is astounding, especially for one so young."
"She's content with the wilds of the world, I can see that," Viornen added silently. "Yet, her mood is not happiness, and I wouldn't want it to be. Happiness about one thing or another can so easily turn. Contentment is the best, at least for now. With contentment one can never grow bored or disgusted. She fits with the life of this world, and she always will. I can feel a strong spirit within her."
Yaraa smiled up at him, glad to hear her husband's wisdom.
"Yes, she's had to deal with much sorrow in her life, too much for someone so young. I feel she's lost her childhood in a way, but she's still far too young to be an adult. One thing is for certain, however," she sighed, her voice taking on a much brighter tone as her mouth curved in a sly grin, "she's definitely going to give Jaax a run for his money."
Viornen chuckled at his wife's comment, squeezing her tightly against him. They both stood gazing down the lane until the first star could be seen peeking through the black veil of the sky before going in for the night. They knew that this new responsibility would be a challenge, but they also knew the importance of what they did. They had the ability to mold the future of Ethoes, and they felt that finally, after all the years of waiting and hiding, their gifts could be used to help save their world.