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The Great War
Written by Enly
Story by Enly & Roja
Edited by Annatira, Phildaburn, and Roja
Artwork by Roja
Chapter 14
Siru opened the door to her home and stared shocked inside. The elf she had found in the forest had been up that morning when she left, but now she stood before her cleaning dishes with a wet rag.
“My goodness child, whatever are you doing?” Siru cried out as she entered and removed her cloak.
“Why I’m only cleaning the dishes ma’am.” She responded with a sweet smile. “I do hope that’s alright?”
“Alright? Well I’m not averse to someone doing the dishes, but why ever did you feel compelled to clean them.
Where is that boy Cole, he shouldn’t have let you do such a thing,” Siru’s glare swept the room and she located Cole staring at her from the table. Siru took a breath to say something and Cole bent down and spooned soup into his mouth, so as to render himself unable to respond.
“Colenen, boy, what has become of your manners? Letting a lady, our guest, clean dishes like a common housewife while you sit and dine on your supper?” demanded Siru.
Cole gulped and swallowed his soup. He was really in trouble now; Siru rarely used his full name.
“Oh ma’am please don’t blame Cole. I just really needed something to do. I feel so awful for accepting all your hospitality and not doing anything for you in return. I do hope you’ll forgive me and not blame Cole,” the elf interrupted.
“Very well dear, I suppose there is no harm in a few clean dishes.” Siru deposited her cloak near the door and went to help the elf finish wiping down the last few dishes.
“I’ve been thinking, I still remember nothing of who I am and I really wish I could be called something besides dear and child all the time,” the elf admitted.
“What a horrible thing to not even remember one's own name, I am so sorry child,” Siru said.
“It is, but, seeing as I have no recollection whatsoever of who I am, I believe it's time to start over again. And I need a name.”
“Quite right you do, let's see.” Siru began suggesting several different names.
Cole watched silently from the table. It was odd to sit there and watch the pair discuss a name for her, trying to name a grown woman. Now that was a sight Cole hadn’t seen before. Siru was beginning to run out of ideas after a few minutes, the elf kept sighing and saying no, that just didn’t seem like a name for her.
“I would think there really only is one name for each person on Draia,” Cole butted into the conversation. “No doubt everything will seem wrong to you except your birth-name. Perhaps a true name isn’t in order at all, perhaps something else.”
“Something else? Such as?” Siru questioned.
“Go by Resia,” Cole suggested.
The elf looked thoughtfully at him considering it “Resia. It means 'to forget' in the old elvish tongue. Indeed, I do like the sound of it.” She finished the last dish and put the rag down.
“You shall be called Resia then,” Siru smiled. “And my dear Resia, Cole and I shall be overjoyed to help you build a new life here in Tirnwood, or wherever you choose, if you desire to go in search of more answers about yourself.”
“If, if it doesn’t trouble you too much. I do feel like this is where I am meant to be right now. I can’t explain it, yet I feel as if perhaps the gods have led me to be here,” Resia said quietly as she went to seat herself at the table.
“The gods never led a mortal anywhere,” Cole growled. “They do naught but cause trouble when meddling in mortal affairs.”
“Keep your tongue, Cole. You know the gods are very real and I highly doubt they’d like such talk,” Siru scolded, joining Cole and Resia at the table.
“Oh they are real, but what makes them worthy of worship?” Cole inquired.
“What are you saying?” asked Resia puzzled.
“He’s just gone off on one of his philosophical views of the world again,” Siru sighed, picking up some quilting sitting near the table. She seemed to be in constant motion. “If you can’t prove it with lots of long words and beat him in a debate about it, you shouldn’t believe it.”
“Oh,” Resia proclaimed softly. Her eyes follow Siru’s hands as they worked on the quilt.
“Oh hush, both of you,” Siru chided. “Cole, there is a new priestess wandering around Tirnwood. She goes by the name Ettena. I surely have never heard of her nor has anyone else. Yet she seems to be a powerful priestess of Aluwen. You’d do good not to displease her.”
“Perhaps I shall go engage her in a verbal debate about the legitimacy of her goddess,” Cole grinned.
“Oh no you don’t Cole,” Siru glared.
“Come now, you know I fear the gods, even respect them, but I like to make people think about it. They must have a valid reason for their worship,” Cole pointed out.
Siru frowned sadly as Cole jumped up and left the house.
“That boy... One of these days he’s going to come face to face with a god no doubt and he’ll regret every word he has said,” Siru said.
Resia smiled and stared out the window as Cole headed off to find that priestess.
*****
Mazhiez stared speechlessly at the centaur standing before him. It was one of the most glorious sights he had ever seen.
“A… a centaur?” Sam stammered. “Centaurs… they’re… I thought they were only legends.”
“Yet I stand before you in this moment making it known to you that I am in no way unreal,” the centaur told them. “There were a great many Centaurs in Lanterra before fell things came.” His voice was deep, deeper than that of most men. And he had a thick accent which forced them to listen carefully to understand his words. “I am pleased you comprehend my speech, however, I did fear that perhaps common had died out or become much different in these lands. No doubt the Centaur tongue is one which has long before this perished in time for your peoples.”
“Lanterra?” Jeeve asked puzzled.
“I perceive you all have many inquiries. I shall have them and I will attempt to inform you of those answers which I know. However we must leave this ship in much haste.” The centaur said.
“Very well, Centaur, we shall leave. I doubt any of us are enjoying it here.”
“As I have already spoken to you, my name is Acantos,” he glared at Velor. “If we may, I would wish to retrieve my weapons before fleeing this vessel.”
“Of course,” Mazhiez nodded. He was eager to leave and didn't think now was the time to stand around chatting with a Centaur. Though the idea of arming this threatening figure was slightly unnerving, Mazhiez hoped that an enemy of his enemy would not turn against him. “Where are they?”
“They should lie in this compartment,” Acantos nodded to a door to the right of his prison. He reached out to turn the handle, yet it was locked. Without waiting to see if they had the keys he backed up and smashed it down using his forelegs.
“Why didn’t you just do that with your door?” Velor muttered. Mazhiez gave Velor a glare, which his friend ignored.
“Because the ship would not allow my own confinement to be so weak,” Acantos said simply. He ducked slightly and entered the dark room.
“The ship?” Velor looked puzzled at the others. Sam, Durron and Jeeve shrugged it off, attributing the strange statement to Acantos's odd speech. Acantos had referred to the ship almost as if it were a person, which was a rather uncomfortable concept. Mazhiez wasn't paying attention, he was nervously looking around. Somehow, it was odd that those six elves had been the only ones on the ship, and he was keeping a hand near his sword.
Acantos quickly came out of the darkness again; he now held a long bow, a quiver full of arrows, and sword and belt. “I now possess my belongings. Let us make haste to exit this vessel,” he insisted.
Mazhiez was dying for answers to his questions but kept his mouth shut. He turned to retreat down the hallway and back toward the main deck. They left the passageway and found themselves in the long hallway on the third deck down again. Quickly they ascended stairs up a level and then another. The centaur struggled slightly in the narrow curved staircases but kept up easily enough. They were now one deck below the main and the Centaur seemed quite frantic to get out.
“Hurry,” he hissed. “It’s a miracle It hasn’t halted us yet.”
Velor stared completely bewildered at the Centaur.
“What’s ‘It’?” he hissed curious, Acantos did not respond. Abruptly there was a slight rocking of the ship and the soft thunk of wood.
“No,” Acantos breathed worried.
Mazhiez reached the end of the hallway first. He hadn't been listening to Acantos and Velor's whispered words, but when he reached the stairway to the main deck, he realized it was not there. “What?” Mazhiez stared puzzled. “I’m sure we came back the exact way we came in, where is that staircase to the main deck?” He looked around confused, yet saw nothing but the dark walls and his equally puzzled companions.
“You returned the proper direction. The ship has removed our exit,” Acantos sighed. Mazhiez eyed the centaur suspiciously, his talk of the ship echoed of magic. Mazhiez disliked magic, it was nearly impossible to fight.
“What?” Velor asked bewildered. “You talk of this boat as if it were alive,” laughed Velor.
Acantos turned his dark gaze towards Velor again. “In almost every form of that utterance you can imagine, yes. Yes, this ship is indeed alive.”
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