Disclaimer: This is not the final version as it will be available from the usual e-book sellers and eventually, bookstores. Rather, it should be seen as an (almost) final draft. If you are interested in becoming a beta reader, or you have any comments, suggestions or thoughts that you feel I should consider before publishing please drop me a line using the contact form.
A Half Elf?
Bernard was in his late eighties and she had been in the village for something less than a century and a half. That was as close as she could work it out. She’d been as interested in what year it was as most of the other villagers for her first few decades in Thetwick, which was to say, not at all. She wasn’t completely certain about the first decade or two and she didn’t really know how old she had been when she arrived.
Her best estimates if she compared herself to human children would put her age near to two centuries. She was physically fully developed and she was almost completely certain that she wasn’t a half-elf. She was an out and out elf. Since she had finally decided to let her hair grow out she discovered the full depth of her natural colour. It was a lustrous reddish gold, depending on how the light hit it. That colour combined with her complexion and her gifts with fire, had led her to believe that the only answer that made any sense was that she was a Fire Elf. This in itself didn’t make sense of course, since all the stories she had ever heard from travellers insisted that the last of the Fire Elves had disappeared half a millennium before, which worked out to about three centuries before she was born.
Still, she couldn’t really come to any other conclusion. Individual attributes, like the colour of her hair, eyes and skin did exist among the other kinds of elves, but not all at once, it seemed. Add in her gift with fire and flames, and that made her a member of an elven kind that was extinct according to all of the travellers she had ever managed to cajole into telling her anything about elves. Some even claimed that the stories of Fire Elves were like those about dragons, which was to say clearly just that – stories for children. She found her conclusion highly suspect, but no amount of pondering resulted in a more credible theory. She’d briefly considered the possibility that she was a metal elf, it was the elven kind that seemed to have the highest chance to look like her, but that explanation became unsatisfactory to account for her affinity with flames. She tried manipulating metal the way she could fire, but the iron gate she had chosen for the exercise simply grew red hot and then sat there and did nothing.
There were other kinds of elves who could conceivably have a complexion with features like hers, she’d learned, it was possible for Metal, Earth and Wood elves to come close, but her gift seemed to be something only the more fantastic stories even mentioned and it was only ever attributed to Fire Elves. Eventually, after keeping it to her self for about two years after she had decided there was no other answer, she put this to the mostly deaf, usually relaxed, doddering old Bernard.
“Bernard. I don’t think I’m a half-elf.”
“Yes love, I know.”
“Did you hear me, Bernard?”
“Yes, yes. I heard.”
“I think I’m an Elf. Probably a Fire Elf… but they’re not supposed to exist… so maybe… Metal then?”
“Yes, yes, of course I heard you. Do you think I’m deaf?”
“Well… if the shoe fits?”
“I suppose I am a little hard of hearing these days, but of course you’re an elf! Fire, I’d think. Don’t tell anyone mind you. Not around here anyway…” He struggled to turn to her in his chair, suddenly looking surprised, “did you not know?”
Ala’s jaw dropped open, stunned to silence for a few moments.
“How long have you known? Why did you never tell me?”
He shrugged, “My dear Ala, I realised the day I arrived here. You know, when I retired… It truly never occurred to me that you didn’t know.”
“You knew I was a fire elf immediately?”
“I was sure you were an elf when I saw you. I knew it could only be a fire elf when I saw you doing that thing with my cooking fire, that first day.”
“But… that was almost four decades ago!”
“I know. You know, the elves I’ve known said those mythical special abilities are just stories… maybe they were lying, though I doubt it. So you’re special, even for an elf… not just special to me, but special even for a fire elf… and that was even before you learned to be the deadliest swordswoman in Taladaria. When I finally took a moment to think about your dyed hair, everything made sense, fit together a bit neater.”
“You mean other Fire Elves can’t do… the thing I do… my Little Trick… with the fire?
“I don’t know about other Fire Elves. I’ve never seen or met one, aside from you. Other kinds of elves had different abilities, in children’s stories at least, I think. Never been on really close terms with an elf though… well… except that one time in Port Mistral. Anyway, so I just don’t really know if they do or don’t have those kinds of abilities. There’s elven Magisters, trained in magic, of course. There are two sisters who live in Duilhac, that I know of. Don’t know if that’s the same or not. I’m mostly certain Half-Elves can’t do any of it, though, so there’s that. In any case none that I’ve ever met.”
Ala was silent for a moment. She felt her eyes moistening. Bernard spoke again, with a thoughtful look.
“You know Ala, though I never knew the woman, I always respected Palady for taking you in. That would have been difficult back then. It’d even be difficult now. I think… I think she decided it would be safer for you if the villagers thought you were at least part human. You can’t blame her for thinking it, her reasoning seems very sensible to me. From what you’ve told me about her, I doubt she ever intended for you not to know yourself.”
“Yes, I understand that. It’s just… well… I don’t know…”
“I suppose I can’t really compare it to anything. Not knowing I was a human? Would I mind? I don’t know?”
“Perhaps it doesn’t matter as much as it seems,” she sighed.
“Anyway, perhaps Palady never thought that you really didn’t know, or maybe the time to tell you just didn’t really ever appear. I think not telling you was to protect you if it was ever intentional. I always thought it was just part of the ruse – that you knew. You really only just realised?”
“Not long ago. But… I don’t know. I guess it wouldn’t have made any difference. It’s just… I would have liked to have known.”
“It’s a good disguise though, isn’t it? An elf who thinks she’s a half-elf makes for a very convincing half elf. It’s lucky that these yokels out here don’t know the first thing about elves and elven lifespans otherwise they would have figured it out by now. Some Thets must at least suspect it. Those that do have evidently decided not to mention it to anyone.”
Ala sat down on a stool in front of the fire, across from Bernard. She sat silently for a time. Bernard waited for her to speak, he was never really in a rush anymore.
“So now what do I do? I don’t have another two, maybe three hundred years of life, like a half-elf might. I’m not half way… not by a long shot. It’s probably more like another… eight hundred years? I can hardly comprehend it. More maybe… stories are very vague on how long elves actually live…. I’m sorry, but you don’t have more than another ten or fifteen years left in you, my dear Bernard. What will I do then?”
Bernard smiled.
“Ten or fifteen years? You’re being very generous, that’s mighty nice of you. I’m not going to last anywhere near that long, though it’s not for any desire to leave you behind. Look, I’ve left you this place of course, I don’t have any children… that I know of anyway…. The old Constable, Roger Marchmain may be dead but the new one, his son Travis, that dickhead, is even more ambitious, more dangerous, possibly even a little smarter, which is a shame…”
“Can’t disagree with that,” she nodded.
“That good for nothing will probably contest my will. Or he’ll do something else to get rid of you. When I die, he’ll make his move. I’m certain of it. My property is one of the most substantial in Thetwick. He knows I have the Duke’s ear. He won’t move while I’m alive. But he wants this place and especially the land that goes with it, I’d bet.”
“Aren’t they already quite rich?”
“The Marchmains have their hears set on nobility, land is what makes a noble, more often than not. They’re probably the second landowners in Thetwick, with my lands, well, they’d be a long way there at least. Travis will make things hard for you. He’s still wary of the Duke though, but you may have to travel to the Duke’s court to get your Right.”
“Bernard, I love you, but I don’t care about your lands or wealth. I will miss you terribly. I don’t like this… living for hundreds of years if it’s without the people you love, like you and Aubree and Palady,” her eyes began to dampen.
“I know. That must be very hard. I’ve seen people I cared for die before their time. Every day I wish I’d had more time with Aubree. I had a crush on her when I was twelve, did you know?”
“I gathered you must have.”
“Centuries of losing people must be harder than I can imagine. I have seen many companions fall or be taken away. I don’t care for it… I think, that after you have established your claim at the Duke’s Court, you should maybe seek out other elves. At least they live longer. If you’re not ready for that, just offer the Duke your sword. He already knows about you. I have written to him, in the utmost confidence, of course.”
“Really? You’ve written to the Duke about me? That I’m a fire elf?”
“I’m sorry Ala, I didn’t realise you meant for it to be a big secret. At least not to learned people. The Duke is a good man, he won’t go around telling people about it. I did mention that it was safer for you to be able to masquerade as a half elf. He won’t go around pointing it out, not without good reason.”
Ala considered for a moment what to think about that. It didn’t really matter she supposed, it really was just that she would have liked to know herself.
Bernard continued his explanation, “I did not write to him solely for your sake, he will also need to do something about the military leadership here when I pass away. He’s had it easy, of late, with you so splendidly discharging my duties. When I’m gone though, he’s going to need to solve the problem somehow, as those raiders will keep coming. He won’t be able to assign you as Captain, I don’t think. The malcontents would sabotage you, possibly even claiming something inane, like that they’d rather deal with an Oakharrower than an Elf. It won’t be pretty. Putting a young she-elf in such a position would require more goodwill than even the Duke can muster. He couldn’t do it in good conscience – not if he wants Thetwick unified enough to be defensible.”
“I don’t really mind. I never expected to be Captain. I don’t think I want to stay here without you and Aubree and Palady around.”
“Well, it’s not right that you can’t be made militia Captain, if you ask me. You’ve been doing the work and doing it well. No one could do it better than you.”
“Thank you for saying that.”
“Now, when you do leave, that sword of yours may offer a clue to who you may be. Follow it, learn more about it, elves are long lived, you may yet have relatives somewhere. Among elven smiths, there must be those who know the histories of such magnificent weapons. I’d bet my own steel that there is an elf somewhere who knows that sword, who can tell you more about it and which elven legend it’s a part of, for a sword like that can only be legendary.”
“You really think it’s that special?”
“If I only count the good swords that I have seen in my days, I think there have been thousands. None compare to your blade.”
She knew it was special of course, but she’d never realised just how special, it seemed.
Bernard continued his stream of advice, “there is also a man at the Duke’s court. He’s an actual half elf and was always a good friend. He’ll still be there. His name is Gladiuth. There’s a few elves who live in Duilhac too, though no Fire Elves, I don’t think. Gladiuth is related to some of them. I’m sure he’ll introduce you. He was my best man in the regiment. Saved each others arses countless times. He’s the one who sent me the Liechtenauer Fechtbuch. I’m sure he will help if he can. You have your own sword. Mine is too heavy for you anyway. If you go there, I think I would like him to have mine. He collects fine weapons, you know. Sometimes he gives one away to someone worthy of wielding it. I think he would perhaps know someone worthy of it. Would you deliver my Ulfberht to him?”
“Bernard, you know I will, if you ask me to.”
“Yes, I do. Also, it would please me, if I knew my families’ lands were in good hands. Even if I own far more than my father ever did, it’s… like a legacy, you know? Perhaps it’s foolish that it matters to me, but it does all the same. I know you don’t care about that sort of thing, but you’ll take care of that for me, won’t you?”
“Of course, Bernard. I will make certain of it. Now, let’s please stop talking about when you’re gone now, please? It depresses me.”
“Just one last thing, Ala. I want you to know that I feel most fortunate and privileged that you are willing to stay with me to the end of my days. I know full well you’re simply biding your time till that day comes. It is a truly momentous gift to me, Ala. Incomparable, really.”
That made it impossible for Ala to keep her eyes dry.
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