Destination Starlight (19)
Chelle looked up at the silent entry of Rijiin, and Natil and stood up rushing to embrace them both. Joe joined her, shaking hands with Rijiin and embracing the Harper too. “You guys ready?” The elf asked, “I thought we could travel to the northernmost free town, Saint Blaise.” “Cool!” Joe replied, grinning as he handed Chelle her blade, quiver and bow. They rose, as Chelle quickly helped with the dishes for Kay. Joe helped and they got them done quickly. They turned as they followed Rijiin and Natil out of the house of the priest onto the street. They peered about the busy street of the village. “Wow! This still blows me away how peaceful it is here.” Chelle remarked, “I never felt so rested in all my life.” “I am glad you like it here.” The elf said, “Come, this way. It is not far from here.” The elf took them to Saint Blaise, the northern free town, clad as they are in the strange garb and their swords and arms hanging at their side. Rijiin had stayed clad as he was, in the green and gray, and kept his blade at his side, his hair pushed back. The elf led the way along the paths known to elves in the forest and toward the north to the first Free Town before the capital city. It was several hours, but the couple seemed to have revitalized energy as they hung in, traveling fast with the Elven couple. As they approached the gates of Saint Blaise, the soldiers stared in astonishment at the elf, as he showed them the city of Saint Blaise. As they walked the streets, Rijiin bumped into George Darcy, the mayor chief of the free town. Rijiin bowed formally to George who gasped in astonishment. “Terrill…?” He asked, and the elf shook his head. “Rijiin…” The elf replied, “Terrill does send his regards, however.” “By our lady…! What brings you to Saint Blaise? Is there trouble?” He asked, and the elf shook his head. “Be at peace, Lord Mayor.” The elf replied, “I am just here visiting your fair city, showing some friends around a bit of this realm.” He glanced at Chelle, who curtseyed and Joe who bowed formally. They were clad in the strange garb again, and both carried the steel at their side. “I won’t keep you, good Mayor.” The elf said, “Blessings upon you this day.” He motioned to the couple as they walked on, George staring at the human couple strangely, not recognizing the garb that they wore. After exploring Saint Blaise, they headed to the southern gate again, passing the soldiers who left them unmolested, seeing Rijiin’s hand on the blade at his side. They traveled south, and before they entered Saint Brigid, he motioned to the couple. “Be at peace, and stay close and you won’t be harmed.” He informed them, leading them to the edge of the forest. “Where are we going?” Joe asked and the elf nodded. “You’ll see.” He said, simply, motioning to them. The couple followed him, uneasy as they moved quickly through the forest, hearing the wilds of Malvern and along visible paths. He turned, as the path split and they were in the middle of the forest, coming to a great oak, which he made another turn. They soon entered a clearing and Joe glanced at his surroundings, as did Chelle. “Where are we, Rijiin?” She asked, breaking the silence, and he nodded, motioning to the cave entrance. “Our place…” He said, and he pointed at the entry of the cave, pushing aside the woven rug to allow Natil to enter first, he motioned to the couple who entered next and Rijiin behind them. Joe and Chelle found themselves in the darkened passage. They soon entered a large cavern, and there the elves all stood in silence. They glanced at the couple, nodding a silent greeting. Charity was there, as was Roxanne, with Varden’s son, Lake. The elves greeted them with the silent nods, and Chelle gasped quietly, astonished by the others who were in this large cavern. It was simple, rugged, with benches made of wood and stone, the interior rocky with many stalagmites and tites. “Whoa.” Chelle said, “You live here?” “Yes, it is my home.” He said, grinning at the others. “There are so few of you.” Chelle observed, and Rijiin nodded. “We are fading, little by little, as time comes to an end for the Elves.” He said, “This is all that is left of my friends and the immortal elves who live here.” Varden approached Rijiin, a look of question on his face. “This is Varden.” Rijiin said, making Chelle gasp. The elf stared at Rijiin, the look of ‘why did you bring them here’, clearly on his face. “That is his brother, Terrill, and his sisters, Talla, Sana, or Roxanne as you know here in Saint Brigid.” “I didn’t know there was a real Varden…” Chelle had whispered to Joe, seeing his surprise too. Chelle curtseyed to Varden formally, and Joe bowed formally. The elf managed a smile at the pair for the courtesy they gave him. The couple smiled at the group, unsure what to say, waving to Charity and Roxanne who moved to embrace the couple. “Welcome.” Charity said, drawing back, smiling in earnest to the couple. Roxanne embraced Joe and Chelle too. Chelle peered at Charity and Roxanne, wondering why they were here, but realized they were a part of this group, despite they lived in Saint Brigid. The couple moved toward Natil who sat in her corner and took a seat with her. Varden pulled Rijiin aside and they exchanged quiet dialogue with each other. Many questions were asked by Varden and Rijiin answered him. “Be at peace, my friend, they are just a little worried about leaving me here, and returning to their own century.” Rijiin said, “I am dead in the future, and they lost me once, they don’t want to lose me again. They care enough to make sure I am safe before they do so. That’s all.” Varden smiled, glancing at the couple who chatted with Charity, Natil and Roxanne. He was astonished by their friendship and their concern for their friend, who was thankful that he truly was not dead. They were glad he was alive, just in a different time and place. Rijiin was embraced by Talla, and taken by the hand, toward Natil who had taken her seat in the corner, strumming her harp. The Harper smiled at him, making Rijiin laugh. Talla handed him his sax and a cup of wine, in which he sipped first. Rijiin glanced at Chelle and Joe who sat with them, a cup of wine in their hands. The elf began to play as the human couple from the future listened to the Harp notes, and Rijiin provided a melody, a catchy tune that jazzed up her harping. They had gasped as he played, the notes billowing and echoing through the chamber. “Jesus, I didn’t know he could play.” Chelle whispered, listening for at least five minutes. “Damn he’s really good.” The elf smiled as he played, circulating through the chamber, and ending his song, he nodded to his beloved Harper. There were smiles about the chamber, as Rijiin played another, a little mellower tune, meshing perfectly to the harp notes the Harper was playing. Chelle and Joe watched in astonishment, applauding the elf, who smiled, taking a slight bow. Together Rijiin, Joe, Chelle, and Natil sat together, chatting and carrying on, laughing, carrying on as they remembered some awkward times with him and the BBS crew. Also remembered some times that was good, where they got along superbly. He had only been to three gatherings, and one picnic together with Synerchat BBS. Joe and Chelle laughed at Rijiin, for being quiet in real life and only wild on-line, reminding him that he was so different when he started on the board. Rijiin laughed too, and shook his head, as Natil listened to the stories too, grinning at his discomfort and many blushes. “Tomorrow we shall escort you to the portal.” He said, matter-a-fact, glancing at the Harper who nodded her head slowly. “I am uncertain if it is there, and will remain there for long, so we should return you to where you need to be.” “Remember well, you didn’t see me here, and neither am I alive.” He reminded them, “I don’t want others coming to this time, be lucky I was in the north when you arrived, and hopefully no one else has come here, ending up in the dungeons of the Inquisition.” “We won’t say anything.” Joe promised, glancing at Chelle who nodded. “But will we ever see you again?” “Probably not…” The elf replied solemnly, “But remember me, and I always value knowing you two.” Chelle saw his expression, and she began to weep. Joe had an astonished look on his face, hearing his tone. “No! I-I do not want you to stay, please come with us. We can’t lose you again.” She said, “It was hard losing you the first time.” The elf grimaced at her tears and choked up voice of emotion, to nod at them both. “Be at peace, remember I am here, and you can come to this realm so long as the portal still exists.” He reminded them, “Just don’t bring anyone else or let them see you do it. You both are always welcome here. You both should take care, and find happiness together.” Chelle blushed deeply, as did Joe, making Rijiin laugh. “I want to, when we get back.” Joe said, grinning broadly, “I appreciate the suggestion.” Chelle glanced at Joe and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. The elves both smiled warmly. Charity and Roxanne circulated with the group, as the other elves made their way to make small talk with the couple. The couple was amazed by the thick accent the elves had, and that they walked among the immortals at this very moment, in a time that was like a dream. They talked and laughed with the elves, as they sat in the encampment, before they would be heading home to their own time. Chelle hugged Natil and Rijiin both when they watched the dim light of the sunset as the sun sank below the horizon. The BBS crew during the night had left about eight in the evening, after spending all day at the shop with no results in finding their friends. As they sat at the computers, they chatted on-line with each other, passing the word to the others of their findings. Cmike and the others felt an endearing hollowness in their lives, having lost their friends on the Bulletin Board. They were only gone a week, and there was many speculations that they had skipped off the Las Vegas to get married or something or the worst case scenario that something really sinister had really happened to them, the same thing that happened to their fellow member, Nathaniel on-line. Cmike shook his head, as he sat at the computer, at such thoughts. “No fucking way. They didn’t go out like that.” He murmured, “I won’t accept that.” He planned on going to the shop again in the afternoon tomorrow or when he could to find out and find a clue that would bring him closer to the fate of their friends on-line. They went to their lives in the morning, but with the intention to gather in the mall shop, yet again to search for a clue on their missing friends. At sunrise, Rijiin and Natil, with Joe and Chelle all watched the sunrise together, the beauty of it as it rose above the mountains. Joe and Chelle held each other, stunned by the beauty of color and the couple glanced at Rijiin and Natil who watched the sunrise with them. “Magnificent.” Joe commented, as Rijiin joined him, peering upward at the color, to nod. “It is time, shall we be off?” Rijiin asked and the couple nodded. Turning, the elf took up Natil’s hand, walking hand-in-hand, leading the couple toward the north, walking along the paths known only to elves, to lead them to their journey to the portal. As they walked, they were still talking as they had last night, carrying on as they peered at the beauty of the forest around them, staying close to the mountains as they traveled north. Chelle and Joe held hands as the elves did. The couple could see how happy Rijiin was, despite that once upon a time he had been human, and found change in an alien century that was not his own. There was deep emotional conflict for the young woman named Chelle, wondering how she could not tell the others they had found their friend, and wondered if they would believe them for jumping out of time. Even the great news of the young man being alive could not be told to her friends, knowing it might put to rest and give closure to them. “How can I hold my silence, for something that is so wrong?” Chelle thought, and glanced at Joe who was thinking the same thing. They both wanted to tell the others, and let the others know, putting things to rest that he was indeed dead or alive and well. The conflict was strong in the couple's heart. It would morally wrong to lie and not tell the truth about Rijiin, but they had promised also, remembering their agreement to it. They realized by their silence that he was protecting them all. They soon found themselves on the outskirts of Saint Blaise, passing through the gates, and into the city. Rijiin and Natil gathered food and they shared a meal, resting for a while in a stable. The couple slept a few hours, napping in each other’s arms. Rijiin and Natil watched over them. Rijiin meditated, and peered into the starlight, gasping, as he could see their dreams. They were partially calm, but still in turmoil for what they had promised. He saw Chelle’s thought, of pushing him through the portal, taking him back to a century he clearly did not want to be, not without his beloved Harper. However, he clearly saw his death at the winds of time itself too if he tried to traverse the conduit through time and space. The elf held his Harper in his arms, touching her face, and grinning broadly. He kissed her on the lips, as they lay back, passionately and hungrily for each other. When the couple awoke, many hours later, the elves smiled at them. “Welcome back.” He said, “Did you get a good rest?” Chelle smiled at Joe, and both nodded. “We should continue on our journey then.” The elf said, as he gathered their stuff, and the couple theirs, rising slowly to stand. The elves ducked down quickly, making the couple exhale sharply as they did too. They peered at the street, and saw three clergy on horseback. Rijiin recognized the robes as Inquisitors from the north, no doubt trying to infiltrate the south and gather information about the three who escaped from Hypperex. “By our lady…!” The elf gasped, drawing his blade from its sheath, and peeked out the window of the stable. “We’ve got company.” “Who is it Rijiin?” Chelle asked, staring at the clergy. “Inquisitors…” The elf muttered, “No doubt here to gather information and the dealings of the south from their spies here. I forgot about that, and us coming in not under cover, we would be the first they would report about.” Joe groaned quietly, as he and Rijiin watched from the shadows as the Clergy quietly asked questions, and got the guarded responses by the people about any heretics, elves, or even the three strangers that had escaped from Hypperex over a week ago. The clergy frowned, bidding the people good day, and the elf, held his blade tightly. “What are you thinking on doing, Rijiin?” Joe asked, glancing at Natil and Chelle. “I am considering ambushing the clergy in the night, and eliminating them from the world.” Rijiin murmured, remembering the story of Mirya and the three Clergy in Saint Brigid, in which she had openly killed in cold blood. He paused, knowing if he did so that would openly bring a crusade from the north, to annex the lands, despite Aloysius Cranby’s death at the hands of Varden. It would be the third time that the elves had killed the Inquisitors of the north. If he did so, it would signal the north they were not welcomed in the south, despite the trade agreement with the guilds. The clergy talked to their spies, and they reported the four strangers that had come to Saint Blaise, and had spoken to George Darcy for only a brief moment. Two of them they identified as an immortal elves, and two as their minions or friends of sorts. They pointed to the stable.
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