The 4th Age
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.

Forest Flight

2 posters

Go down

Forest Flight Empty Forest Flight

Post by Conleth Tue Dec 12, 2017 7:24 am

The ropes that hung side by side, there were 3 in all, were made of Hithlain, a very strong form of silk that could only be found in the Silverlake Forest. It is spun by the Giant Hilt Spiders that inhabit the darkest parts of the Forest and though the Wood Elves have tried to keep their population down they seem to flourish in certain places. Sometimes the spiders killed unwary Elves but it was rare. The braided rope had a silvery sheen to it and was very thin and light though extremely strong. Difficult to cut by most mundane weapons and tools.

When Verya hopped down onto the forest floor the body of the guard was there near her feet. She died on her side and she didn’t recognize her face. There was no blood around her body but she did have on armor and her short blades were still in their sheathes. Her bow was just a few paces away from her outstretched hand and she had a full quiver of arrows.

Guards took hold of Caldoren, Suoress and Edward just as Aedael nimbly hopped off the railing. With one hand he began to slide down one of the ropes quickly as 2 archers appeared and began to shoot arrows at him. He deflected them with his sword but in just a few short seconds he hopped down near where Verya was equipping herself.

Verya had explained the magic behind how the forest seemed to move and shift which made it nearly impossible for interlopers to be able to navigate. The Wood Elves had a symbiotic relationship with the Ents that lived here. Large, Sentient tree folk that were able to animate any tree they wished. Causing it to uproot, move and reroot where they wanted. This had the effect of the forest changing which made each passing different. Though the wood Elves somehow always knew the changes and how to maneuver through the forest without hindrance.

“Will the Ents allow you to pass?” He asked as he slapped an arrow that was shot toward them from above. His attention was focused upward and none of the Elves seemed to be in a hurry to climb down one of the ropes. “We can’t stay here, we have to move. We have to hide,” Aedael said. Surprisingly calm as if he hadn’t a concern in the world right then.

Conleth
Admin

Posts : 8323
Join date : 2016-04-28

https://adsr.4umer.com

Back to top Go down

Forest Flight Empty Re: Forest Flight

Post by XslvrstarX Tue Dec 12, 2017 8:08 am

Verya slid easily down the Hithlain rope to the forest floor. Glancing upward she spotted Aedael near the terrace railing. She did not look away until she saw him safely sliding down the rope towards her. Near her on the ground was the body of one of the guards. She had died upon impact. Her face had been badly damaged from the fall and Verya did not recognize her. However, she knew that once she had served her loyally. Now, everything had changed. Verya spotted the deceased guard's bow and quiver. Thankfully, the bow was intact and the quiver was full of arrows. Verya grabbed the quiver and slung it across her back, but kept the bow in her hand. Finally armed, Verya felt more secure and was prepared to defend herself and Aedael if necessary. She did not want to kill any of her own people, but would do it if she felt there was no other choice.

Looking over at Aedael she was glad to see he was completely unharmed. She knew that they had to flee, though she hated the thought of it.

"Yes, they will allow us to pass," Verya replied when Aedael asked her about the Ents. Verya had taken the time to cultivate a strong relationship with the Ents. She considered them friends and had no doubts that they would not stop them. "There is a cave I know of to the north at the edge of the forest. It will take us a few hours to get there. It is difficult to locate and should provide us a safe place to hide for now. We must be wary of forest trolls however. They are more prominent in that area and can be quite dangerous."

XslvrstarX
Admin

Posts : 8948
Join date : 2016-05-03

Back to top Go down

Forest Flight Empty Re: Forest Flight

Post by Conleth Wed Dec 13, 2017 6:45 am

The trees of the Silverlake Forest were large, healthy things. Massive trunks with a silvery white bark that could be used for all sorts of medicinal purposes. The trees were said to be magical themselves and the Wood Elves sang to them often. Sometimes they sang just because they loved them but sometimes they sang in order to receive Chant Wood which they used to make bows and arrows from. Chant Wood were offering from the trees. Pieces or thick shafts, branches or larger sections of their trunks given freely by the trees to the Wood Elves. The Wood Elves and ents protected them, lived among them and loved the trees and in return the trees offered pieces of themselves as needed. No elf ever held or made an axe. Not of any kind and even to defend their lives they’d never pick one up.

The low hills and meadows in the forest seemed to go on and on. Aedael followed Verya as she ran through the trees that loomed high above them. The silvery leaves made the bits of sunlight that made its way between them shift and dance in his eyes as they ran. Verya showed him how to and where to step in order for their tracks to be impossible to see. Elves employed no animals. Keeping them against their will went against their edicts and any Wood Elf nose was just as good as a Blood Seeker’s anyway.

In the throne room Suoress shot daggers from her eyes at her husband. Caldoren held Donella as Egwana held Edward. Donella whimpered in fear as the wood elf home suddenly seemed far less friendly and safe as it had when they arrived. Authiel looked on as Suoress signed her rights away. Hers and those of her heirs.

“You can’t possibly believe that you taking the throne won’t be seen as anything else but a coup. The men and women who have sat there were given their station. Never has one been taken..never Authiel. And your people will know this. I once thought as you do in thinking the High Elves were our enemy. But no longer. Aedael has proven that his people want an end to the fighting and conflict just as the humans enjoy,” she said as she signed the scrolls before her.

Authiel’s face took on a somber, thoughtful look but Trikan sneered at Suoress but said nothing. What he had been trying to accomplish had succeeded and though he wanted to gloat he decided to celebrate about it all inside of his head..right then anyway. The royal guardians had been killed and now Authiel’s scouts, the best of them were undergoing the kinship ceremony to take their place. All was going as planned but Morwen still had to be dealt with.

Conleth
Admin

Posts : 8323
Join date : 2016-04-28

https://adsr.4umer.com

Back to top Go down

Forest Flight Empty Re: Forest Flight

Post by XslvrstarX Wed Dec 13, 2017 7:35 am

Verya moved quickly knowing that Aedael would be able to keep up with her. Her instincts were to go high up into the tree tops, but Aedael was not a Wood Elf and therefore she remained on the ground with him. She barely made a sound as she moved. Each step, though quick, was thoughtfully planned out in order to not leave any tracks behind. The sunlight that was able to pierce through the thick vegetation created a dappled effect on the forest floor. It could be very disorienting to one who had not grown up in the forest and Verya therefore made sure that Aedael remained close to her. Should he get separated from her he would very likely get lost in this part of the forest where all the trees looked exactly the same. Verya, however, knew the subtle differences of each and continued to lead the way northward. Though most of the animals remained hidden from view, Aedael might detect that they were being watched most of the time by unseen creatures.

Finally, Verya began to slow and looked back at Aedael. "We are now entering the area where we will need to be extremely vigilant. Forest trolls live here and are not creatures one wants to encounter. They are large, disgusting beings, that, though they are not fast, are incredibly strong and powerful."

Authiel watched as Suoress signed away the right to the throne for herself and her children. It relieved her that Suoress did not fight her about this. While she did not want to kill them, she knew that Rhazien would without a second thought. As soon as she was finished she took the scroll and rolled it up so it could not be taken and destroyed.

"You may think that way of the High Elves, but the rest of the Wood Elves do not. There will be no negotiations...only victory on our side. This is what MY people want and what they shall have. Verya was weak as Queen and showed total disregard for what her people wanted. I am not weak and am not to be underestimated. Now go. If you are ever seen within the Wood Elf borders again I will have you all killed."

XslvrstarX
Admin

Posts : 8948
Join date : 2016-05-03

Back to top Go down

Forest Flight Empty Re: Forest Flight

Post by Conleth Thu Dec 14, 2017 12:54 pm

Aedael was thankful Verya was who she was. Every Wood Elf knew how to survive in a forest, let alone their own. They paused to eat in a thick grouping of Thistlebush, Ice berries named for their shiny, white color and Hass Roots, a thick, dark brown edible root that verya had managed to gather as they ran. The berries were tart but with a cool, minty finish at the end. The roots reminded him of figs if not alot more fibrous and chewy. A quick repast and then they were off again. They had evaded 2 patrols in all. Verya seemed to know just where and how to hide from them. Men and women, Wood Elves with keen eyes and sharp noses. She couldn’t help but show Aedael how to do what she was doing and she knew that Aedael was mindful as well as a quick study but there was nothing for it. He was hers now. Her responsibility now that he had swore fealty to her.

In truth Aedael was enjoying being out with Verya. To see her doing what she was doing, to see her act for his benefit and her own he admitted, was gratifying even a little pleasurable. Their peoples had been at war with one another so long and so many of his own people were curious of wood elves. Suspicious too ofcourse but if it was true that they had once been the same race naturally some elves wanted to learn more about them. Many of what he had come to know he knew now as false. Wood Elves though quite passionate were honorable and had deep ties to their family and their environment. Trees and other growing things were innately important to them. So much so that they spoke or sang to the trees and plants and the fauna indeed seemed to prosper. Animals too seemed to live among them with a certain kind of kinship. Both Wood Elves and High Elves had no taste for meat and so animals had no fear of them. It was a slight tremor in the ground that seemed to make Verya signal for them to stop and get low. With just a gesture Aedael scrambled to slide in between a few low ferns just as Verya seemed to melt into the tall grasses near her feet. How she did that he couldn’t know but even as he settled himself he caught a glimpse of a large Forest Troll that raised its large, bulbous nose into the air.

Conleth
Admin

Posts : 8323
Join date : 2016-04-28

https://adsr.4umer.com

Back to top Go down

Forest Flight Empty Re: Forest Flight

Post by XslvrstarX Thu Dec 14, 2017 1:18 pm

Once Verya knew that they had completely evaded the two patrols that had been sent out to find them she allowed them to stop and rest for a short period in a grouping of Thistlebush. Verya had gathered some berries and roots for them to eat, knowing what items were edible in the forest and what was not. They ate in silence, not knowing if they were being pursued again. Verya wanted to speak to Aedael, but knew it was impossible until they reached the safety of the cave. Verya had a special relationship with animals, particularly birds, and now used them as lookouts for potential danger. The birds of the forest were loyal to her, particularly Cormanthor, a large male hawk whom she had found injured and nursed back to health. Cormanthor was the king of the other forest birds and fiercely protective of Verya. He remained close to her now, though hidden in the trees. When Verya and Aedael began to move again he flew a few yards behind, keeping her always in his sights.

They were close to the cave now, but a tremor in the ground and a call from Cormanthor told Verya that a Forest Troll was near. She gave a wordless signal to Aedael to take cover. She watched as he slid in between two low ferns. She appeared to disappear into the tall grasses. She readied an arrow in case the troll discovered them and made an attack. It was not easy to take down Forest Trolls, but she had done so before and would do so again if necessary.

When Authiel received word that Verya and Aedael had not been found she angrily dismissed the guard and began to anxiously pace back and forth in the throne room. She and Rhazien (still in disguise as Trikan) were alone now and she could speak freely.

"Verya lives and has escaped. While she yet lives she has the rightful claim to the throne. My cousin is intelligent, strong, and stubborn. She will cause us trouble Rhazien, of that I am certain, particularly now that she and Aedael are together."

XslvrstarX
Admin

Posts : 8948
Join date : 2016-05-03

Back to top Go down

Forest Flight Empty Re: Forest Flight

Post by Conleth Sat Dec 16, 2017 9:02 pm

These trolls were tall, broad and even round at the middle with excess skin in places. It’s flesh was covered by a dark, coarse hair and it had a large, bulbous nose with large, deep set eyes and massive ears that seemed to curl at the top. It had a hairy mane of dark hair and a dark, scraggly beard. It was the nose that concerned Aedael now as it sniffed loudly. It had large hands with long, thick fingers. It carried no visible weapons but Aedael didn’t think it needed any with how strong it looked.It was then that it shifted away from them and in a hedge row near them it reached into it and plucked out someone by their leg.

Galara grunted as the Troll lifted her into the air. She twisted in its grasp and pulled out her bow as it tried to get a look at her. She was in her leather armor and looked so small in its large hand.

“A smallsies morsel I as ere!” It said in broken Elvish. Obviously surprised and pleased it found something besides berries and edible plants. It was a rare treat that it was able to find meat that wasn’t able to elude it.

Aedael blinked, Galara had been almost on top of them. Had she been following them the entire time? He overcame his shock quickly though as Galara knocked and shot but the Arrow barely pierced its neck. It growled and plucked the arrow from its flesh then thumped her with its large, thick finger. She grunted again and then Aedael was on his feet and moving toward the large creature.

Conleth
Admin

Posts : 8323
Join date : 2016-04-28

https://adsr.4umer.com

Back to top Go down

Forest Flight Empty Re: Forest Flight

Post by XslvrstarX Sun Dec 17, 2017 12:31 am

While Verya loved and respected nearly every creature in her forest, she detested trolls. They were hulking beasts who destroyed everything in their path. She had killed them before. It wasn't easy, but it could be done and she was prepared to do it. As the troll sniffed the air she began to suspect it had sniffed them out. She started to grab an arrow from her quiver, but before she could get it nocked the troll reached into a nearby hedge and to her surprise pulled Galara out. While there were many that she knew she could no longer trust, Galara would never be among that group. Verya knew that she had not been following them to kill them, but to protect them. Despite everything that had recently passed between them they would always be friends...and Verya would stop at nothing to protect those she loved.

Before Aedael could get halfway to the troll he would suddenly feel an arrow shoot past his right shoulder. The troll howled in pain as the arrow pierced its right eye. It immediately dropped Galara and began to fumble about. Verya stood completely still as she aimed another arrow. This one flew true and struck the troll's left eye. Now, completely blinded the troll began thrashing wildly. Still, Verya did not move an inch. She pulled out a third arrow and nocked it. She drew back the bow string and waited. A moment later she fired. The arrow whizzed past Aedael and Galara and straight into the gaping mouth of the troll. The beast staggered as blood began to stream out of its mouth. Finally, it crashed to the ground before Aedael and Galara's feet. Wordlessly, Verya walked up to the dead creature and pulled the two arrows from its eyes. She wiped them off on the grass before placing them back into her quiver. Only then did she finally speak to Galara. She spoke not as her Queen, but as her friend.

"You realize by following us and helping us that they will label you as a traitor and seek to kill you. Why would you do such a thing?"

XslvrstarX
Admin

Posts : 8948
Join date : 2016-05-03

Back to top Go down

Forest Flight Empty Re: Forest Flight

Post by Conleth Tue Dec 19, 2017 7:55 am

Without another word she was on Aedael. Her lips attacking his. She shook with adrenaline and her heart swelled with emotion. She dropped her bow and enveloped him in an embrace. Aedael had kissed her back but had stuck his sword into the ground in order to bring his hands up and take hold of her arms. The scene went on for several seconds before he pulled her away. Galara’s face and neck were flushed and her breath raced. Under her tunic Aedael felt her heart racing and the bond couldn’t hide that it excited him. He was a male after all and already proved to them both that his mind didn’t control everything about him. Her action then explained everything. Love and friendship had forced her hand. Her face went even more crimson when her eyes fluttered to Verya who didn’t seem to like what was happening right then.

“I love you Aedael even if you can’t return that love,” she said in a breathless rush then turned to look at Verya though not in the eyes. “And you were my friend long before you were my queen Verya. Our bond of friendship was sealed long before I took any oath.” She still had her hands on Aedael’s shoulders but didn’t seem to notice. Aedael’s mouth curved into a grin as he looked at her. Galara’s dark hair was in a thick, single braid. Expertely twined down her back. She was slightly taller than Verya with longer legs and a thin, tight musculature. She was elegant in her dark brown cloak and brown studded leather armor and her eyes shown with the brightness of a woman in love, misguided that she was. “I would go with you if you will allow it Verya...please don’t send me away,” she said in a pleading, concerned tone then looked back up at Aedael. She licked her lips unconsciously as it was obvious that she wanted to kiss him again. Aedael turned and looked at Verya and even had the gaul to look...amused? It was difficult to tell with him, sometimes. Even with the bond.

Conleth
Admin

Posts : 8323
Join date : 2016-04-28

https://adsr.4umer.com

Back to top Go down

Forest Flight Empty Re: Forest Flight

Post by XslvrstarX Tue Dec 19, 2017 8:17 am

In those few brief moments before she closed off the bond between herself and Aedael he would sense something beyond anger that flowed through her. She was furious! She had just saved Galara's life and this is the way she was to be thanked! And her feelings were not just directed at Galara. Her eyes turned almost dark as she looked at her mate...who only hours before had pledged his undying love for her and sealed them together forever. Was she to be betrayed by everyone today?! She didn't know what to say or do. Her hand tightened on her bow until the wood creaked beneath her fingers and her knuckles turned white. She said nothing to either of them, though her feelings were very clear. Without a word she turned and began to walk away. The cave was close now and it was beginning to grow dark. She walked without looking back, though she knew they were following her. Finally, they came upon a rocky outcrop. The entrance to the cave was hidden by overgrown vegetation and unless you were Verya you would not have even known it was there. Verya expertly cut back the vines revealing the rather large entrance. It was tall enough for one to walk into standing fully upright and appeared to go back for a very long ways. There were several tunnels that ran through and Verya knew of at least one other exit in case the entrance became blocked. She continued to say nothing as she pushed past Aedael and went to go collect firewood.

XslvrstarX
Admin

Posts : 8948
Join date : 2016-05-03

Back to top Go down

Forest Flight Empty Re: Forest Flight

Post by Conleth Thu Dec 21, 2017 7:45 am

Aedael was altogether surprised and amused that Galara had followed them. He didn’t quite understand her reasoning behind what she was doing but Wood Elves were a passionate lot and he had been exposed to Verya’s temper more than once. She closed the bond to him and decided not to address that. He let her go and stepped away from Galara to get a look at this cave. He had to hunch to get down into it, it was little more than a small made by large stones covered in a moss of some kind. It was surrounded by trees and other fauna. It’s entrance perfectly invisible from almost every direction. He decided to explore a bit and stepped inside.

Galara followed Verya. She knew she had crossed the line with her but she couldn’t stop herself. She had almost been eaten and the thought of dying and never knowing what a kiss would feel like she had lost her wits. Now it hit home what she had done and wanted to apologize. As Verya bent to snatch up a few branches, Galara approached her.

“Verya I...I’m sorry. I...I have no excuse. And I don’t know why I’m acting like a foolish girl. How did you expect me to stay?” She added belatedly when Verya seemed to be ignoring her.

Conleth
Admin

Posts : 8323
Join date : 2016-04-28

https://adsr.4umer.com

Back to top Go down

Forest Flight Empty Re: Forest Flight

Post by XslvrstarX Thu Dec 21, 2017 8:06 am

Verya heard Galara approach her, but she didn't look up at her at first. She just continued to pick up firewood. However, as Galara spoke and apologized she glanced at her slightly. She sighed and felt her anger towards her friend slowly start to slip away. She just hoped that such an act would not happen again.

"I know that you have feelings for him Galara," she finally said. "I've known it for a while. However, I also knew when Aedael and I were bonded that we were meant to be together. I should have spoken to you honestly and told you everything and for that I am sorry. I do not wish to continue to battle with you. I...I need my friend. I...I need to at least know that there are still some that I can trust...some that won't betray me."

For the first time since fleeing the palace Verya had time to really think about what had occurred. Today she had been completely betrayed by those she had come to trust and it wounded her emotionally. Her cousin...her own blood now sought to kill her in order to secure her place on the throne. Verya would never admit it out loud (though it would be plain to see) but she was scared and unsure of what to do.

XslvrstarX
Admin

Posts : 8948
Join date : 2016-05-03

Back to top Go down

Forest Flight Empty Re: Forest Flight

Post by Sponsored content


Sponsored content


Back to top Go down

Back to top

- Similar topics

 
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum