Thread: Reverence and Decree

Ellifain might be offset towards the woman but she did realize something besides the fact that the woman was making no attempts to escape. The fact was that when she informed the council of what happened, Several of them might become enraged at the treatment of their young. Elves loved children dearly, being they rarely had them, and some of the captives beneath the capital had been young indeed. Even by human standards. Sliding the woman from her shoulder, she carried her in her arms cradle style as the lift ascended. Reaching a branch woven walkway, she stepped off with her captive and looked around. The two elves that had hoisted them up were giving her looks a mix of both suspicion and curiosity. Soon. she said to them, not needing to tell them more. It was the elven way to explain things in time. First she needed to speak with the council and she couldn't afford to loose her bargaining chip in the process. On the trip to Amir Ellifain's rage had not subsided but had been tempered slightly as she was forced to consider her actions. A plan had begun to form. Half a gamble, but based on sound logic. She would present this to the council of Amir after explaining the situation to them. Walking around the walkway, she followed it from tree to tree until she reached a guest haven. Elves rarely broke their rule of harming guests residing in the haven unless the situation merited it, but Ellifain wanted to be sure that everything she had done up to this point at least bore fruit of some kind other than exile. Entering the small guest house, she looked around and motioned for the keeper, a young elf tasked with the upkeep of the place, to leave. Laying the young princess on the bed in the simple room she said Don't try to escape. And if you manage to get free, then don't leave this room. You most likely wont live past opening the door... Her tone was hard and commanding. While part of her simply wanted to dump the woman in a ravine and leave her, she would not allow someone dependent on her to fall to ill intent. Reaching over, she plucked the rag from the woman's mouth. She wasn't exactly gentle with the task but she would at least be free to speak to anyone who came. They wouldn't harm the woman for now, or free her, as the issue was not of their understanding, but they might inquire as to the details of what was going on. Fixing the woman a cup of water, she brought it to her lips and allowed her to drink a bit before rising. I will return shortly. she said as she moved to the door. Exiting the room, she told a nearby elf to make sure that no youth were allowed anywhere near the haven and closed the door behind her. Making her way back towards the meeting hall, she entered and found the council to be waiting for her. Nodding curtly to them she said We have a problem. The seven members of the council simply waited for her to explain. Ellifain began weaving her tale for them, starting with the ignored disappearances of a number of elves and how she had dismissed them herself, then how she herself had been taken captive and what she had discovered. She ended her story with her capture of Princess Emily and even admitted to her emotional state at the time. How she still would rather drop her body in a tar pit than be around her. As she finished, the council remained silent for many moments. Her tale had taken several hours to relate for she had spared no detail. Ellifain was a fair story teller and knew that the average elf would be enraged by such tidings. She had explained Izardi's lack of a response and her intent of coming her to warn the council feeling that Izardi would not for some reason. The silence was broken by an elderly woman well into her eighth century. Child. We all know your deeds to date and what you are capable of long before having met you. You were right in assuming that there has been nothing but silence from Izardi. This is the first we have heard of such tidings and, like you, merely assumed that the missing were out seeking themselves as is our custom. Your own seeking took longer than most but we knew you would return home eventually. The woman paused and stepped forward. Her gaze held and intensity born of wisdom and intellect that few reached, even amongst elves. Her gaze was not easy to meet even for the most hardened of people. Ellifain nearly wilted beneath it, her rage the only thing she had to draw on to keep her in place. What do you intend to do with this situation now, child? The woman asked in a weathered tone. Her voice was fair to hear but anyone not living amongst elves would not have heard the aging in her tone. Eldest, Ellifain began, I have thought on this and can only come a few conclusions. It is a fact that the king does this without his people's knowledge. Elves have always been fair to humans in our dealings with them. It is unlikely that the king would wish this leaked. The chances are that my escape has him on edge. It has taken him the better part of a year to gather the elves he has and he is growing old. I doubt he will have killed off the captives just yet. I believe he will hold that plan of action until he has no other course before him. Holding the woman's gaze, she saw that the woman knew where this was leading and pressed on. We cannot wage war with them without proof. My tale alone is not enough to convince the people that a wrong has been committed. We need something irrefutable. We have several courses open to us. We ransom the King's daughter back to him in exchange for our people and possibly the oath to never reveal his actions. There is good reasoning to believe he would accept these terms and move on from there. We would then keep a closer eye on our young. While this option doesn't completely appeal to me in my current state, I believe it to be one of the better options. The woman nodded at her and smiled And what of your other conclusions? Ellifain nodded. There is Cedric's Kingdom to the north. He is Elfstruck beyond reason after his stay in the city of Shal. He would be more than likely willing to aid us with a little pressure on the kings borders. Cedric has always dealt fair and open as far as a human can see into an issue. I have no reason to believe he would turn away request for aid from us, especially since he is married to an elven maiden now. Ellifain thought over the situation a bit and said If it comes to worse, we will end up at war. However I don't believe any party wishes that. So it is my hope that this option will be removed. Ellifain spoke late into the night on many other alternatives and eventually the council was adjurned. Returning to the haven, she looked in on Emily.