Xander {Part 7}

Can what I have been told true? I thought the Council spoke in jest when they told me the truth, this confusing truth. I, a king? Me, Xander Bolivar, Captain in the Revelin Army, defecting Captain of the Royal Aragathian guard, the blood right ruler of Incantevole? They said  my father was the son of the King Adan and Queen Rhiana, an elf. In which, that means I am one quarter Elvish. How shocking this all was to me, as you can well imagine. I have caught myself touching my ears many times, almost expecting there to be pointedness, but it does appear I have my Grandfather's looks.

Xander laid the pen down, and massaged his temples. Stress had suddenly been thrust upon him, and he felt tired more and more often. The battle for Aragathia was no longer a matter of freedom, but a personal conflict. As rightful Heir of the throne, it was his duty to fight until either he or Felix were dead. Even if the Rebels were overcome, he would never have the freedom to do so.
He picked up the feather pen, and began to scratch his thoughts back into the simple leather book.

I think of Bly more and more often, and yet, I haven't seen much of her since the meeting with the Council. I wonder if her timid spirit, no, not timid. That is a dishonor to a lady like Bly. She is soft spoken, gentle, and reserved, but never timid. She has the heart of a lion while being as docile as a lamb

He smiled at the thought, and continued writing before he could slip into a daydream filled with thoughts of the fair lady who had captured his heart.

But I do have to wonder if she stays away from my because of this sudden news of my pedigree. All Voronwë watches me, and I can only wonder if a part of Bly is shy of me now. No matter, some sort of elvish gathering is being held tonight, and I have great faith she will attend.

He laid down his pen for good, and looked out the window for the time, the sun was at the 5'O'clock position, and the festival started at the same time the night fell. He had to get ready.

:::::::::::::

Fires burned, despite the warm weather, and Xander scanned the crowds for a certain blond Elf.
If he ever thought market day in Aragathia was crowded, he was wrong.
However, the elvish people all shared a sort of graceful, gliding step that he had noticed in Bly, and he wasn't jostled as he would be in the Aragathian market place.
Plus, there seemed to be no pick pockets. That was comforting.
"And this is the visiting King!" He felt his arm grabbed by a young Elvish man, a complete stranger.
Xander wanted to rush off with just a quick nod, he yearned to find Bly. But, manners were even more important now, and he bowed his head once, "Unless two kings are visiting this beautiful city, I am he"
The man grinned practically from ear to ear, "What a pleasure to have you mingle among our people tonight, My lord. I'm Tyrous, and this is my sister, Yilliandra. We're from the house of Fernwalker" The man pulled a young woman closer to him, and, Xander thought it was impossible for it to be so, but his grin grew bigger. He wore the same look as a merchant who was ready to sell something, and just knew the customer wouldn't resist.
The woman, Yilliandra, looked purely embarrassed, and tried tugging away, but Tyrous held her arm tighter.
She raided big green eyes to Xander's face, "it is a pleasure to have such a distinguished visitor to our city"
"We'd love to have you in our home at some point of time, the near future, Oh great one" Tyrous' grin irked Xander, it seemed...buttery, too merchant like.
"I'm sure I co-" Xander felt a hand on his arm, and paused his words to look down, and felt giddy butterflies in his stomach.
"Tyrous, stop trying to marry your poor sister off. It's hardly becoming, and less so on the king of Aragathia. Besides, Yilli looks ready to dash off and drown herself. Marry your own self off, you fool. Maybe only then you can improve your family's pitiful social standing" Bly's words were softly spoken, but strong enough to get her point across: scoot
The siblings disappeared in the crowds, and Xander blew out a sigh of relief, "Knights might save beautiful women from deadly perils, but sometimes the very same knights need those very same ladies to save them from awkward social meetings" he offered her his arm with a smile, and she blushed softly as she accepted it.
"Nonsense, my lord. You won't always have little Bly Uaine to come to your aid. Besides, you aren't a simple knight anymore"
If I was, would you allow yourself to love me?
Now would be the perfect time to tell her how he felt, to tell her that he wished for her to always be by his side, but her name was called, and she perked up. "Oh, Xander, come meet my oldest brother, Lithônien!"
He smiled at the familiarity of her words, being called "Xander" instead of "My Lord".
Another Elf, tall, but not nearly the same giant Thalion is, approached them. He wore the garb of the Scholars, perhaps more decorated and impressive, but the blue and silver robe was unmistakable.
"Lithônien, this is Xander, the Blood Prince of Aragathia. And, Xander, my brother, Lithônien. He is head scholar and I imagine probably the most knowledgable man in Voronwë" Bly practically beamed with pride.
Her brother had harsh blue eyes that looked as if they could freeze boiling water in the summer sun, and his face was like a stone, no emotion except perhaps, annoyance and disdain, coming across it.
"It is a pleasure to meet such a man as yourself, Master Lithônien" Xander extended his hand, but the Elf simply looked at it, "so I'm sure it is. I have come to speak to my sister, pardon us" the elder brother pulled his sister aside, and Bly cast Xander a pleading look.
"well, that went well..." He didn't realize he had spoken aloud until a soft voice piped up from behind him. "Do pardon Lithônien. It isn't you he has problems with, but humanity on a whole. His pride is unbearably even to most elves"
He turned and found another scholar, her hair tumbling out of a loose braid and eyes cast to the floor. She looked familiar, but he couldn't place where he saw her...
"Oh, do pardon me as well to speaking to you without introducing myself, Prince!" She curtsied, and nearly fell from trying to hastily. Xander caught her arm and smiled, "oh, I'm not put off, at least, not by you. In fact, I should thank you. I thought I had done something to offend the man"
He looked back to Bly and her brother, she seemed to be doing most of the talking now, and her face was flushed as if in frustration.
"I'm Scholar Alora" the other Elvish lady spoke again, and he turned his attention back to her.
"Alora? Than you are the scholar who was in the council hall?"
The lady looked delighted at having been remembered and nodded happily, "so it was I"
"Than, I am glad to properly meet your acquaintance, good lady" Xander bowed, causing her to giggle and flush with happiness. Did the poor flustered scholar not get praise? As he remembered who she worked with, he supposed it shouldn't surprise him.
Bly practically stomped back, and nodded once to Alora as Lithônien gestured for her to follow him. As soon as the scholars were vanished in the crowd Bly again took Xander's arm. "Forgive Lithônien. He has a pride that could use some bruising and a disgruntle against mankind that just won't be healed. It has nothing to do with you as a person"
He walked with her through the bustle as music played. It struck him as odd, that even though music was being played and many were beginning to dance, no singing was heard. Was it a custom? Or did elves just not sing?
"What sort of folly has my kind done to gain your brother's cold shoulder?" He hated asking it the moment he did, as it seemed like every foolish action, unjust ruling, unneeded war, mankind had ever made flooded his mind.
But Bly's answer was spoken in soft to Ed, and wasn't the words he expected. "A human man took away the woman Lithônien loved"
She gave him a pointed look, as if there was a puzzle and she had given him a piece of it, the last piece, perhaps.
"Human....did he kill her?" He could see that wasn't the answer, "no? but, the only recorded elf/human marriage was....oh...Bly....good heavens..."
She nodded, "Adan and Rhiana"
"You mean to say, your brother, was in love with my, my...my grandmother?!"
He couldn't decide if he needed to sit down, or was too shocked to do anything but stand there.
Bly looked amused, and her head leaned against his shoulder, "Come now, good Sir, you look as if you had seen a ghost. Have you forgotten the vast lengths of our lifetimes?"
"N-no....I haven't...I just....my grandmother?" The next question came up unbidden, "did you know her?"
Bly shrugged, "all Voronwë knew her. She was the 'Golden Star of Silver City". Rhiana is fabled to be the most beautiful woman to ever walk this earth. Of course, each century a new beauty pops up, but I cannot deny she was striking" Bly looked off amongst her people, and spoke in tones that betrayed she was in times long ago, or was it just yesterday?
"She was brave, and skilled with weapons. But she was gentle, and it seemed no one could ever hate her. Actually, there was a running joke amongst us that Rhiana could look into the eyes of an Ortrov, and tame it" Xander found a tree with a bench running around it's trunk, and settled them on it, and listened intently to these tales of the woman he was blessed to have in his line. "She truly was the perfect woman. And to everyone, it was obvious Lithonien had feelings for her, but what young, unattached man didn't? And then, Adan came, and I remember everyone saying, the moment they laid eyes upon each other, it was as if the room was filled with a bright light. Adan was only a Prince then, but as soon as he was given the crown, he rushed back, and begged Rhiana to marry him. She didn't need a second asking" Bly smiled, her heart lightened by the tales of long ago love. "I was too young to attend the wedding, I remember I was so upset, and felt left out. Thalion was going, as were our parents. I remember Lithônien wiping my eyes, and telling me he'd stay with me, that I didn't have to be alone....he smiled as he said that. I didn't realize he was crying inside, I was too young...." Her voice
trailed off, and her eyes grew sad, "that was the last time he ever smiled".
They sat in silence, the music seemed just a background distraction now. Xander spotted Lithônien weaving in and out of the crowd, a sort of stern black ship sailing alone in rejoicing waters. Alora followed behind him, and he suddenly felt worse for her than the broken elf.
"Do you think, he will ever love again?" The two disappeared again, and Bly shrugged, "who knows, the heart can either remain forever bitter, or melt with spring. Why do you ask?"
"No reason"

:::::::::::::::

The moon was a beautiful sight in Voronwë. Silver shining upon silver buildings, the dark sky contrasting the shining beauty of both the cold lady of the sky, and the still Elvish city.
But it wasn't the striking elegance of the nighttime Voronwë that kept Xander awake as the city slept.
He had hoped the council would make a decision today, and with each passing hour, he felt a yearning to head off to face either his defeat or his triumph. May God allow it to be a triumph!
He sat on his balcony, a thin flute of Elvish wine in his hand. Or, rather, they called it wine. It was more grape juice, than fermented wine; he had had the stuff Felix consumed at shocking rates, and there was a rather large difference.
But there came a cry from sone sort of elvish brass instrument (what he had learned as to be the alarm) in the general direction of the Southern side of the city.
The city he had thought to have been sleeping was like an ant's nest poked by a young boy's stick, suddenly alive and scrambling.
A runner dashed through the streets, shouting something in elvish, and like a mob, a graceful mob, the people rushed from their homes, and down to the southern gate of the city.
Something was happening, and it seemed big.
Xander pulled his cloak on, and joined the street swarm.
There wasn't a sense of danger amongst the elvish people, but poorly suppressed excitement.
Oddly, Lithônien appeared before him, acting most eager to get there, dashing and winding his way around the people. He wasn't dressed in his scholar's uniform, but a more worn, and plain brown robe.
"Lithônien Uaine!" Xander called for him, but it took two more shouts before the elf even half halted, "What do you want, human? I cannot be detained"
rude, but, why should I expect him not to be? "what is all this about? I don't sense danger, what has caused such commotion?"
Lithônien gestured for Xander to keep up pace with him, and spoke as they wove in and out of the crowd, "A Greer has entered the barrier, and was found waiting outside the southern gate. To meet such beings, is an honour beyond all honours, and I must get there before it leaves. Only once has another scholar put down the account of meeting a Greer"
A Greer? Was it the very same one that had saved them from the Dragon? Lady Ou Een?
Walking at their swift pace, the elf and human reached the southern gate in record time, and Xander's suspicions were confirmed.
As majestic and awe inspiring as when they had first seen her, Ou Een stood outside Voronwë's walls, easily towering over them.
Her grey eyes scanned the gathering crowd, as if she were searching for someone, and a look much skin to that of a lost little girl had settled on her face.
It appeared a few other scholars were trying to mentally communicate with her, and they parted as Lithônien approached.
"We are unsure why it is here, Master Scholar. It refuses to even consider our presence"
For some strange reason, to hear Ou Een called "it" irked Xander, and he snapped sharply, "Ou Een is her name. Do not disgrace her by addressing her like nothing more than a new creature"
The Elves looked amazed, but Ou Een's gaze settled on him, and lightened considerably, her lost look fading.
A picture flashed through his mind of Thalion and Bly, along with a question of mark...a question?
He bowed to her, and nodded, sending the mental image of the two embracing as the reunited.
Her happy look quickly turned to one of grief, and she reached her hand down into the city for him to climb into.
Xander had to admit, the look on Lithonien's face was beyond all price.
The Greer sent a sudden tumble of images into his head, along with a tumult of emotions, almost giving him a headache.
She audibly sighed, and slowed down to one mental frame at a time.
Thalion, darting from Voronwë's purity shield.
Adonis, not seeing him.
A dragon...a dragon? Why was there a dragon?
Thalion, pursued, and running away from Adonis. Was he sidetracking the dragon from Adonis, or was he the target?
The Dragon, with a battered Thalion in it's scaly claws, flying south east, towards...
Towards Aragathia.
Xander's eyes flew open, and Ou Een looked apologetic, even fearful.
"Xander! Ou Een!" Bly's voice called from below, and Xander met the Greer's eyes.

Pleading. Begging.    P. L. E. A. S. E.     D. O. N. T.    M. A. K. E.   Ou Een     T. E. L. L.     Bly

Xander nodded once, and Ou Enn put him back down, and she bowed to the gathering of awed Elves, and disappeared back into her forest, but not before sending one last image of an oblivious Adonis, racing towards Revelin with her companion, a second Greer, trailing him, keeping harm from him.
Xander watched her go, his hands clenched at his side as Bly rushed up to him, and the elves stood at a respectably distance.
"What was she here for, Xander?" Bly's eyes were wide, but not from fear.
She suspected nothing....

Is Thalion dead? Or, does he live in chains? What would Felix do to him? And why was he being pursued?

"Bly....she came with news of Thalion" and in that instant, her blue eyes turned fearful.  Any news Ou Een would come so far out of her comfort zone to tell them, it couldn't be good news. "W-what is...is he fine, Xander? Oh please tell me he is! What has happened? What about Adonis? Did he safely reach Revelin?" 

Xander held her hands as tightly as he could while still being gentle, and felt Lithônien inch closer to hear the news of his younger brother. 

"Bly, Adonis made it safely to Revelin, Ou Een's companion has followed him to the camp, but your brother.." he glanced over his shoulder at Lithônien, making it clear he was including him in this intercourse, "One of Andromeda's dragons captured him, and-" Lithônien pushed past him headed towards the council chambers, and the crowd parted for him.  Bly choked back a sob, and fell against Xander, clutching at his tunic.  "T-tell me....Xander....d-did Ou Een say i-if he...w-was..." she couldn't get the word out, but Xander understood.  "He was still alive when the dragon took off with him"

No need to tell her that Felix probably had already order a formal execution, or some form of torture.
"But why? For what ends did they capture Thalion? It has something to do with the same reasons I was captured! I know it Xander! It has to be!"

By morning, the reasoning for Lithônien's storming away was made clear, it seemed he had given the council a verbal sparring, undoubtably putting his own position in the risk by speaking so harshly to those who ruled Voronwë. But, they listened, their aged wisdom allowing humility. And the Voronwë army had been aroused.
It struck Xander as interesting, to the average onlooker, Voronwë was like a peacefully flowing river. Never leaving it's path, nor causing harm.
But in times like this, as they prepared to march against a threat, the river was raging, and whoever stood in the path of it's force, wouldn't stand long before being pushed down by it's violent current.

Xander (Part 5)

Three days traveling, and Xander was privately wishing Adonis was as silent as Kaymele's dragon. The guy wasn't chattering nonsense in the normal term, but the constant growling and arguing and sniping was growing old. It had grown old early too. But, Bly wasn't any help either, instead of trying to calm Adonis' nerves or settling their heated arguments, she watched, apparently humored by it all.
Adonis had rushed ahead about an hour ago, earlier in their trip, they might've asked him to please keep together with them, but he complained and called them "The children of snails of turtles" and raced ahead anyway where they'd catch up with him about nightfall. And now, they just let him go, what was the point of insisting on your way if it didn't matter? And it was quieter with him miles ahead where only he could hear his own grumblings.
Xander sighed deeply, and threw his head back, lifting his face to tawarathion's canopy, no distinguishable sunlight filtered through, so it didn't matter.
"Ya know, I didn't think I'd miss pure sunlight this bad" Xander commented.
Bly smiled at nodded, "Don't worry, we should be getting into where Elfin Lied merges with Tawarthion soon, it's a much more pretty forest there, and it has sunlight"
She had been cheery and optimistic the whole trip here, and Xander was glad to see her so pleased with herself and the World.
"So, tell me Bly, how many times have you actually left Voronwë?"
She tilted her head, "If I answer your question, will you answer one of mine?"
He laughed, "Is it an Elf custom to demand a Question for a question?"
"No" she grinned, "It's an Elvish custom to not ask personal questions without permission. But I'm forgiving you and punishing you by making you answer one of mine"
Sometimes he forgot she was Elvish, she was nothing like he had heard about them from his Mother. The graceful, dignified people who could have strict laws, and strict emotions. But then she would surprise him and remind him, like now.
He dipped his head, "I submit, I'll answer yours, Lady Ambassador"
She smiled again, and answered, "Three times. All in the past 100 years. It isn't customary to allow younger Elves to leave Voronwë until they reach their 3,000th year, but Tenzin wasn't orthodox, and managed to influence the council in our favor"
Xander nodded, "I see, but, that brings another question, just one more, please?"
She faked reluctance and sighed dramatically, "oh I suppose so. You humans are such a curious lot"
"Oh don't fake it, you like answering them. Anyway, you say you are a young Elf, if you were to put that into human years, how old would you be?"
She pursed her lips in thought, "Lithônien, my eldest brother, would probably say it was "Wrong to constrict an Elf to a human's timeline" but good for you, Me and Lithônien only share blood, not opinions. I would say I'm still a child, I'm learning things about the world still, learning to walk on my own feet, and normally would still hide behind the skirts of my elders. I just decided to fly out of the nest quicker then most".
It was hard to imagine that this woman was older then his Grandparents, bless their souls whoever they were, and still considered herself a small child.
"And now my question" she wiggled on Ciar's saddle, and blurted while pointing, "Your sword".
Xander raised his eyebrows and lifted the scabbard, "Why yes, little girl, it is a sword, and it's in a scab-"
She lifted an apple threateningly, and glared at him and his teasing. "That wasn't funny" she said, all while hiding a grin.
"Then why are you smiling? Hmm?"
Her face went completely blank, and in a trance like voice replied, "There is no smile on my face, Captain Bolivar" but it only lasted for a few seconds before it cracked and she leaned over Ciar's mane, laughing.
He watched her, laughing all the while himself, and felt a bubble of pure joy rising in his heart. To hear her laugh so whole heartedly, without a care in the world, he wanted her to always be so.
She sat up, and regained her composure, "I was going to ask, Xander, the story behind your sword. It's quite interesting".
"Indeed it is; I've yet to find a comparable sword of Ry'zyyk's strength. It's a family heirloom of my Father's, his Mother passed it to him in my grandfather's place. It seemed my Father never knew his Father either, he once said there was a sickness of some sort that had killed him, and it forced my Grandmother to flee with their child to a safer place, and she was left to pass down the family heritage"
He passed it over to Bly, so she may look at it closer, as she had leaned precariously over to look at it in his lap.
She dropped Ciar's reigns, and ran her hand over the red blade, astonishment marking her face.
"You are quite sure it was a family heirloom?"
Xander nodded, of course it was, "why wouldn't it be?"
She shook her head, and pointed to the circle that was etched into the tip, it had a four pointed leaf inside of it, and was made from a clear jewel. "This is the sign of the best Sword's maker in Voronwë, he makes all the Elvish decoration swords for the prominent families. My Father owns one of his masterpieces, but I don't believe he had ever gifted a human with his swords"
Xander blinked, stunned, while Bly continued pointing out various facts of the sword, "you see these words? It's an Elvish incantation against breaking or scratches. Ry'zyyk will never break as long as you have that on there. And this ivy vine down the middle? It's from the house of Beriadan, but they left into the Forest of Unknown Whispers years ago when Queen Riana died. She was of that house and-"
Bly suddenly stopped, looked at Ry'zyyk, then back at Xander, then back at the sword with wide eyes. "Never mind, I actually think it is just a replica" she hastily handed the sword and scabbard back to Xander, and faced the road ahead of her, her face as solid as a stone, and Xander was completely unable to get a word from her.
'Whats wrong with her? What was she going to say? Is she embarrassed that she thought it was a real Elvish sword when it was a replica? A mighty well crafted replica, but a fake all the same'
It was a bitter bite that Ry'zyyk wasn't real, but it made more sense. His father was no lover of Elves, why would he have an Elvish sword? Then again, it wasn't his decision what came in a heritage either.
Xander slid his sword back into the scabbard, and glanced at the canopy above their heads again, a few places he could make out a sunset, they would meet up with Adonis soon.
He rubbed the back of his neck, and hoped for a slight moment that perhaps Adonis would get lost, but then he chided himself, that was terribly brutish of him, and uncalled for.
Besides, The horse Adonis was riding was of good stock, it would be a shame to lose it.

 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"How late do you think it is?" Adonis asked as he and Xander tied the horses to nearby brush.

Xander tried looking through the dense tree cover above them, but it was practically impossible to see anything but dark folage.

"Probably near Dark, if I could guess.  It's hard to tell, since The Tawarthion is always dark" 

Adonis nodded, and they walked the short distance where Bly had laid everything out, and she glanced around her as if expecting something to appear from the shadows around them that were growing longer.

"You've been in here for weeks, and you still aren't used to the place?" Adonis asked, for the first time he started to seem good natured again.

About Time.

Bly shook her head, "Listen, both of you"

Xander frowned, and Adonis tilted his head, both of them listening for any odd noise, but they both shook their heads, "What? I don't hear anything" Adonis shrugged.

"Exactly" Bly got up, her eyes wide, but it seemed not with fear.

Xander nodded, "Thats true, the forest is normally making all sorts of noises, but, it's completely silent now"

He saw Adonis shiver, and clutch his own sword a bit tighter, but Bly rested her hand on his shoulder, "No, it's here, you mustn't act fearful of it, or it will think you are a threat to Elfen Lied"

"It? Whats here? Is it some sort of Monster?" Adonis asked quickly, his golden eyes darting around, looking in all the shadows.

"No, no. It's the Guardian to Elfen Lied, the Greer. It makes sure none of the evils of Tawarthion enter the Elven forest, we can sleep safe tonight, as long as it is nearby, none of the creatures of this dark place will harm us"  Bly smiled at the both of them, and Xander had to ask, "So, it's silent right now because it is keeping the creatures at bay? Does it know we are here? What does it look like? Can it speak?"

Bly laughed lightly, "The beasts of Tawarthion choose not to be around it, for it will suppress their vileness.  It speaks Telepathically, through thoughts and urgings instead of words, I've never seen one, though it has been said that it is huge, like a magnificent boulder, but has the face of an old man, for old it is indeed.  It's been here for as long as Elfen Lied and Tawarthion have touched each others tree lines, where it came from, who knows. There are many things about these two forests, one good and one vile, that even we do not know.  It is our forest, but it's mysteries aren't easily given, even to us. Oh, and it probably knows you are here, for all your talk and chatter" she smiled, and tossed a pack at him, "So, you both need to sleep. If I'm correct, we have two rivers to cross and a Fort to avoid in the morning"

They all settled down to rest, and, amazingly, sleep came much easier then it had the previous nights in the forest. Almost as if the Guardian, Bly called it a Greer, was laying a thick blanket of peace over the whole area.

He didn't know how long he slept, but Xander was suddenly forced awake with the sudden feeling that danger was near.

Bly and Adonis also seemed to be affected, and they all looked at each other, "Did you hear it too?" Bly asked, wringing her blanket's corner into a tiny knot.

"I didn't hear anything, but I felt...I felt...as if, something bad is coming"  Xander stood, quickly fastening his Sword belt, and Adonis doing the same.

"Yes, I felt the same" Adonis looked around, and then turned to Bly, "Was it...?"

She nodded, "The Greer, but, I heard it...." she paled, "Xander, Felix is sending soldiers after us. Seven of them" she closed her eyes, and grimaced, as if she were thinking too hard, "They are....5....5 minutes away.  Greven isn't one of them...he..." she turned ash white, and Xander stepped forward, "Bly, stop it, now. You are hurting yourself" 

She nodded, and nearly collapsed, but Xander caught her, and she opened her eyes, looking terribly tired.

"I, I could see them, Xander. For one moment, I was aware, but..." she shivered, "It's terrible being so aware of things" 

Xander held her for a moment, before Adonis coughed, "Uh, hate to break up this endearing crucial moment in your relationship, but, there are King's soldiers mere minutes away!!" 

Bly blushed, and Xander stood to his feet sheepishly, "Oh, of course, what would we do without Adonis here?"

Adonis mumbled something about a rotten mess, and began hurriedly packing everything up, 

"Are we going to fight or flee?" Bly asked, her eyes big, and she gripped Xander's arm with a strength that always surprised him. How did some one so small and dainty have such a painful grip?

"Fight" Adonis answered, "I can't stand all this inaction. They are just going to follow us, or get new reinforcements if we let them get away"

Xander nodded, agreeing with this, but there was another matter, "It will make getting around Fort Hallows all the more difficult"  He looked down at Bly, her blue eyes were wide, but her mouth set in a firm line, "I want to help"
He couldn't very well deny her offer, but neither would he be able to fight well if he was worried about her wellbeing.
"Bly.."
"No. I'm adamint about this. I'm normally a dead weight, I'm going to do something this time to help"
He opened his mouth to protest, but she laid a finger across his lips, and raised her eyebrows, "It was not a request, Captain, but a statement"
Xander gently held her hand, and raised it to his lips in a gentlemanly kiss, and Adonis heaved two packs their direction, "Let the Elf Girl fight, Xander, we'll need all the help we can get"
Bly, blushing under Xander's attention quickly stood to her feet, "I didn't say I was going to fight, Adonis.  But if need be, I have been trained with archery"
Adonis shrugged, "Whatever you like, though, playing Ambassador won't help you much this time"
She frowned at him, and Xander stifled a laugh at how fiery she looked when she frowned.  Like a tiny mouse shaking it's head at a dragon.
"Ambassador isn't a role in a game, Dragon"
Xander sensed the growing tension, and quickly decided to intervene, "Lets not get our feathers ruffled at each other.  Adonis, you and I will pack the horses' saddles, and leave them a short distance from here, and Bly, since you have the most acute hearing, and can run faster through Tawarthion then we, do you think you can keep a guard out on the way they will approach from?"
She nodded, and took off in the direction she had sensed their arrival, her fast elven feet carrying her quickly through the twisted forest, and Xander sent up a silent prayer to God that no harm would befall her, and went to assist Adonis. 

Xander {Part 3}

Via

The two groups had joined, and yet still kept to themselves. The boy who had been in such distress was being comforted by a blond girl wearing a thick black cloak, and the Elf who had snapped so harshly at Bly was now speaking with her in lowered tones. Xander felt himself bristle mentally, the man had no reason to growl at her for asking a simple question.
The Elf fellow, Xander realized he didn't know any of their names, walked back to his group, and Bly joined Xander by the fire.
"Well?" Xander didn't look up from polishing his sword, instead just rubbed the metal with more aggression.
Bly positioned her dirty skirts around her daintily, "Well what?"
"You two were talking for a long time"
She blinked at him blankly for a moment, then seemed at a loss for what to say.
Finally she took a deep breath, "Captain Bolivar, I didn't think you would get so-"
"Ok ok. Forget I said anything" He had forgotten how perceptive she was.
Bly smiled and glanced over her shoulder at where Adonis and Nairi were arguing over whether or not the berries that grow in the Tawarthion Forest were edible. 
"You still think they won't kill each other given the opportunity?" Xander asked her, he didn't see Bly's reasoning over that, they seemed like a perfect pair of enemies to him.
"I'm rather certain"
Xander shrugged again, and tuned out the argueing of Adonis and Nairi. They'd settle things on their own..somehow.
"So, what have you learned about them" Xander gestured to the new comers with his sword tip, and caught the Mermaid/Dwarf/other stuff girl's eye. She was regarding him with a sort of wary untrust. She looked away, and said something in lowered tones to the other dark cloaked girl.
"Well" Bly cleared her throat, "I knew who Nithron is-"
"Nithron? The elf guy?"
Bly laughed, "Nithron Featherheart, yes. His Father is on the council, and I saw him a few times at Voronwe. Naturally, we didn't associate much, since we didn't want Felix to accuse the ambassadors of having friends in the Rebels..." she looked down and kicked a stone, "Not like that much matters now..."
Xander rested a hand on hers, "Its not by any fault of your own, trust me. If Felix really wanted peace with your people, it would have happened"
Bly nodded, and tucked a whisp of hair behind her pointed ear. "Anyway, I was amazed to see him here, normally he is in more important places. And then he said that the Mergirl, Kaymele, was accused of wrongs, he didn't specify, and he helped her leave.  They picked up the those three in Africi, Prid, Anakis and Natia are their names. Prid is half lion, and the girls are Fairies"
Xander glanced at the girls in surprise, "Really? What are they doing so far from their tree? Fairies haven't been heard of for centuries, Did, that guy, Nithron, tell you that?"
Bly shook her head, "He didn't say they were fairies, but I knew"
Xander turned to look at Bly, "How could you possibly know?"
She looked down at the ground, "When I said I didn't have any abilities back at the prison, well, it was a tiny lie. I have never thought of it as an ability, since, well, we all have it.  We can tell species if we look deeply"
"How?"
Bly looked up, seemingly surprised that he wasn't angry at her, "Souls, each person's soul is a different shade, but the colors are all in the same color group in each species. Fairies are pink or purple, Elves are green, Dragons are red, Dwarves are Brown, and Merpeople's are blue. Its an ability we can turn off or on"
Xander seemed taken back, "So, it kinda just, glows around a person? And what about humans?"
Bly smiled, "Yes, like a light coming from within and surronding them" then she frowned, "Humans, are difficult, though. All humans start off white, or pale pale blue. But, as time goes on, their colors may change, or may stay the same.  Felix's was a dark dark red, and yours-" She suddenly stopped, and turned away.
"What? Mine is?"
Looking at him from the corner of her eyes, Bly said, "I can't tell you. It's against our morals. But, look inside yourself, You'll find your own color, I'm s-"
She was interrupted by Nairi's screams.
All members of the parties stood and those with swords held them at the ready.
Adonis ran into the bushes where Nairi had strolled, and came out seconds later with her tossed over his shoulder. For once, she wasn't protesting his aid.
"I saw it! It was huge! I was just-" a shrill shriek filled the air, and the two fairy girls clapped hands over their ears. "It's an Otrov" Nithron whispered. "Otrov?" Prid asked just as quietly, and another shriek pierced the air. The Elf nodded, "They came over with the Fire Mages about, oh, 7000 years ago, and have grown. The last one I saw was about 2000 years ago. And it was the size of a large cow I can only imagine how bi-"
As if on que, the beast's double head reared above them, hissing.
"I don't know about the rest of you, but, in Dragon tongue, that translates into run!" Adonis took off, hefting Nairi over his shoulder again. The white Dragon that had accompanied the newcomers growled at Adonis, then at the Ortrov. The others followed Adonis' lead, but the beast was far more adept at running through a dangerous trap laid forest. It seemed to know where every fire pocket, and Walking tree grove was, and it's snake like body and short stubby legs propelled it with amazing speed through the trees.
"We can't hope to outrun it" the lion boy, Prid, gasped.
"In that case, we'll have to kill it" Adonis stopped suddenly, and dropped Nairi to the ground.
The sounds of the ancient serpent crashing through the undergrowth grew closer.
"Bly, take Ciar and Rudy, and Nairi too, and get out of here. And those fairies. They probably can't fight to save their lives" Xander ordered, he turned towards the sound of the Ortov, and didn't see Natia and Anakis' look of distress that mingled with insult.
Bly seemed ready to obey, but Nariri spoke up, "Now listen, Captain Bolivar, you might be a big guy in that army, but we are all equals here" Nithron seemed ready to interrupt her, but she ignored him, "I say we all stay, or at least I do. And there's nothing you can do about it"
Xander glared at her, silly girl. She had saw the thing, did she really think she would be any help? He was prepared to scold her, with maybe a quip about her height, but the Ortrov burst through the trees. With a squeal that sounded like pleasure, it lunged in to attack. It's double heads spitting poison and fire.
"Don't let it get on you!" Xander heard Bly shout.
He felt the concentrating that only comes on when fighting block all other sounds out, at one point Adonis was fighting beside him, then Nithron. The hissing of the beast and the smell of the sour poison filled the air.
Then in slow motion, it happened. Nairi ran to stick her sword in its stomach, using her short height to get under it, but with a snack like speed, it snapped at her, it's poison, dagger like tongue flickering at her. It sliced across her face and arms before Bly ran in, pulling her friend away, and turning her back to the creature.
Adonis and Xander both shouted at once.
It stabbed Bly in the shoulder, yellowed poison rolling off its fangs, and dripping onto its tongue.
Xander ran forward, his sword felt lighter in his hands, and in the corner of his eyes, where Adonis had once stood, a red dragon growled. In one movement, Xander sliced the creature's tongue off, while the red dragon rammed the Ortrov. Nithron bounded jumped off the white dragon, and stuck his sword into the creatures defenseless belly.
The Ortrov squirmed for a moment, but finally stilled, and Nithron pulled his sword out.
"Bly!" Xander sheathed his red blade, and ran to where Bly and Nairi were collapsed.
The Red Dragon disappeared, leaving only a worried Adonis.
"Bly...." He picked up her limp form, and Nithron knelt beside him, "She'll come to, Elves resist the poison better then Humans" worry clouded his face, and he glanced at the discarded tongue Xander had sliced off. "But that was a lot of poison"

~Ok. I could very well go on, but this post is long enough. Tell me what'cha guys think. Kathrine, your turn!~

~Oh, and isn't that pic of Xander absolutely SMASHING?!~

~Oh, and I apologize for taking the liberties of naming the Ortov. It means 'Poison' in Cretian. or some language. I kinda forget...*whistles* ^.^~