Soldiers of the Eye and Ear Read online

  Chapter 2

  “Understanding Enemies and Friends”

  Her lustrous black hair was fastened into a tight bun. Her slanted, elfin eyes were pale blue and bright with vigilance. Her skin was naturally smooth and ashen. She wore a black, leather corslet over a black, sleeveless body shirt, and black, leather boots and bracers. She was armed with a spear-sword. This elf was a gray elf and a soldier in the Gray Army of the Blessed Court.

  The armed little nymph was guarding the bottom of a winding staircase. She snapped to attention as Lord Vellizar, Minister of the Eye and Ear and fellow gray elf, approached. The greater he-fay towered a full two heads taller than the sprite! He told her, “I await Lady Zandora.”

  “Yes, milord.”

  Vellizar could hear the chatter of little elves as he reached the top of the staircase. Two sword-girls fell silent and snapped to attention as he approached them and the door they guarded. He told them, “I await Lady Zandora.”

  “Yes, milord.”

  Vellizar was in his study reading a book when Zandora, a greater nymph and fellow gray elf, eventually arrived. “Milord,” she knelt and bowed.

  The he-fay closed his book. “My beloved Zandora, share with me.” He gestured for her to join him.

  “Milord, our dear Nayola died at the very hand of the Lady of Assassins herself.”

  “Gledriss herself?”

  “Yes, milord. Nayola’s disciple and the six guards, who also perished, were touched unto death by only one spirit. It seems Gledriss fulfilled her murder unassisted.”

  “Surprising, indeed, that the lady of the False Queen’s assassins would come to Avalon at all, much less come ashore alone.”

  Zandora mentioned, “Gledriss would make for an invaluable prisoner.”

  “Yes,” Vellizar agreed. “Either there is a grand design at work or Gledriss is a proud, reckless fool.”

  “Milord, which do you believe it to be?”

  “I shall stay my belief that I may see what there is to see and hear what there is to hear.”

  Zandora nodded.

  After lunch, Dame Judith, Twaylee’s former captain, led Aylith on a tour of the fortress. “A bathhouse no less than one to be found in a city,” the guest was impressed.

  “Yes,” Judith nodded. “We do what we can to ensure our little soldiers are not deprived.”

  Aylith mentioned, “Twaylee complained to me that the armed forces do not mingle sprite males and females.”

  “They all complain about that. We warn them before they join us.”

  Aylith knew, “They may mingle and flirt at their allotted leisure.”

  “Yes. Even here in Fay Dendria they are not truly deprived. They may partake in the merrymaking of the wood elves.”

  “They are welcomed?”

  “Yes. We visit the wood elves and they visit our fortress. All is amiable here.”

  “Blessed be our sylvan kin.”

  “Yes.”

  The two continued on when Judith remarked, “You are an agent of the Eye and Ear.” Aylith did not respond. Judith assured, “You need not affirm what I already know.”

  “Why do you believe I am an agent of the Eye and Ear?”

  “Because Twaylee travels with you.” Judith explained, “It was I who brought her name to the attention of Lord Vellizar. He has since told me that she serves him well. I never doubted she would.” Twaylee’s former captain laughed as she remembered aloud, “She would sneak up behind me, tap my shoulder then humbly bow and ask to be trained as a scout.”

  “Yes,” Aylith could easily envision it. “Twaylee has her own way of doing things.”

  “Her ability and her boldness made for a splendid soldier. She proved to be my best scout. She amazed me by outmatching the little dryads who helped train her.”

  “You sound very proud of Twaylee.”

  “Yes.” Judith giggled, “Though mischievous, she is loyal. She is witty and very sweet.”

  “Sweet?”

  “Yes. I love her. It grieved me to send her away.”

  Aylith told Judith, “Know that what you have done was for the best. I shall tell you no more than to say she saved my life and helped save the lives of many.”

  Judith smiled and choked, “Thank you.”

  Twaylee and her friends and former comrades left the barrack and visited other soldiers. They chatted, laughed, giggled and gossiped. Twaylee told them, “Sir Brennith asked Gayl to marry him.”

  “Who?” someone asked.

  Aymee insisted, “You know Sir Brennith.”

  “Yes, but I do not know Gayl.”

  Tilda explained, “She is a witch who is a friend of ours. She was going to join the army but her lady bade her not to.”

  Hanna commented, “Gayl should marry him. Sir Brennith is handsome and very sweet.”

  Twaylee insisted, “She should not marry him! Her life is in the city and his is questing.”

  “So?”

  “They should not marry!”

  Aymee suspected, “Twaylee, you are merely worried you will lose your friend.”

  Twaylee rolled her eyes rather than argue.

  Hanna told her, “Wood elves are coming this evening.”

  “Good.”

  Tilda told Twaylee, “They ask about you.”

  “Do you tell them I left the army?”

  “Yes, but they still ask about you.”

  “Silent Shadow,” Hanna uttered Twaylee’s nickname among the wood elves.

  The little nymphs were happy in each other’s company. No matter what they talked about, they liked talking about it. No matter what they did, they enjoyed doing it... together. Twaylee missed her days in the army– especially now.

  Morganna, Lady of the Dark Seductresses, could feel the cool tingle of the restless, shaken heart and spirit of Gledriss approaching. In the darkness, she could see the glowing, colorful aura kneel and bow before her. “Gledriss.”

  “Yes.”

  Morganna opened her eyes. “Does our friendship remain?”

  “Yes.”

  “One neither kneels nor bows before a friend.”

  “You are my lady.”

  “There is but one lady of the elves. Blessed be Nicnivin.”

  “Blessed be Nicnivin!”

  Morganna gestured for Gledriss to sit with her. The invited did so but complained, “You would strip me of my authority.”

  “Yes, but I have not done so.”

  “But you may!”

  “Honor Her Majesty and I shall not do so. Shame Her and I must surely do so.”

  Gledriss reminded, “I slay Her enemies.”

  “Authority is the power to command others to do so.”

  “I lead by example.”

  “To set an example of foolishness denotes poor leadership.” Gledriss bowed her head and sighed. Morganna caressed her cheek and assured, “I am aware of your questing. I shall not deny you the thrill of the hunt.”

  “Then why do you rebuke me?”

  “You ventured into the heart of the enemy camp; where they are strongest. You could easily have perished, or far worse, been captured. Should you do so again, then it shall be as the greatest of Her Majesty’s assassins, but not as Her Lady of Assassins. Choose and I shall honor your choice... as shall you.”

  Gledriss decided, “I shall do as you require. I am the Lady of Assassins.”

  “Good.” Morganna took Gledriss’s hand, caressed it and asked, “Are you my friend?”

  “Yes.” Gledriss leaned up to Morganna’s face, kissed her and said, “As we have been, so shall we ever be.”

  Morganna, Lady of Her Majesty’s Order of Seductresses, smiled and wept.

  Though of an army without a war, the First Company, Third Regiment, Ninth Legion was not without duty. They drilled and trained, patrolled, stood watch, cleaned their barrack and the fortress grounds, their uniforms and cared for their weapons.

  Though du
tiful, when free, they enjoyed their leisure with Twaylee and each other. They chatted, giggled, strolled together and swam. “Come with me,” Twaylee invited Aylith.

  “Dame Judith awaits my company,” or “I am to visit Dame Nithandra,” was often the greater nymph’s answer, but sometimes she accepted.

  “Aylith!” the little soldiers who knew her (through Twaylee) were delighted to see her.

  “You have come to this outpost as well?”

  “Yes,” Twaylee answered in Aylith’s stead. “We are here together.”

  “You should try this,” Tilda offered a filled cup to the greater nymph.

  “What is it?”

  “A nectar given to us by the wood elves.”

  Aylith sipped it. “It is delightfully sweet, as were you for offering it to me.”

  “Thank you,” the littler nymph smiled.

  Wood elves visited the fortress and the soldiers of the Ninth Legion went out into the forest and visited the wood elves. Aymee told Twaylee, “We have already told them you are coming.”

  “You should not have done so! I wanted to surprise them.”

  “They invited you.”

  Hanna wondered, “Aylith will not come?”

  “No,” Twaylee rolled her eyes and shook her head. “She would not like our idea of fun.”

  Aymee commented, “Greater nymphs never do.”

  The wood elves were elves of the wild, neither living in structures nor wearing clothes. “Twaylee!” a sprite’s voice hailed from above. The high elves looked up and spotted the dryad “Tree-Hopper” smiling down at them. The wood nymph’s eyes were green and her hair auburn, as was the coloring of all her breed. The dryad climbed down and dropped to the ground. She embraced and kissed Twaylee, telling her, “We so longed to see you again!”

  “Yes,” Windy, another wood nymph, joined. She too hugged and kissed Twaylee.

  Sure-Foot, a he-sprite, dropped from a tree and added, “Yet you never returned to us.”

  Twaylee giggled as the beautiful, naked male ran up to her. As they embraced, she mentioned into his ear, “Nor did you ever venture to visit me in Avalon.” She pecked his lips and rubbed his nose with her own.

  The group went together deeper into the forest until coming to the many wood elves who already awaited Twaylee’s arrival. The high elves and their sylvan hosts hugged, kissed, danced, sang and otherwise made merry.

  “Twaylee and her friends are frolicking with the wood elves,” Aylith told the visitor to her suite, Dame Judith.

  “Yes,” Judith already knew. She was holding a basket and a flask. “I brought gifts from the wood elves to share with you.”

  “Thank you.” Aylith gestured for her visitor to enter and be seated. “Is the drink you brought a sweet nectar?”

  “Yes. How did you know?”

  “One of your little soldiers treated me to a most delightful beverage.”

  “Our sylvan kin treat us to many things and several beverages. Perhaps you were given what they call ‘berry sweetness.’ Regardless, I believe you shall delight in what I brought.”

  The two greater fays talked, sipped their ‘berry sweetness’ and nibbled their snacks. They smiled and chuckled as they shared fond thoughts and memories.

  “Twaylee tells me ‘Auntie Shy-Heart’ is the one who taught her the way of the scout.”

  Judith nodded. “The Good Auntie Shy-Heart is among the best of the shamanist rangers.”

  “I would much like to visit her.”

  “She is away. She was summoned by the Good Mothers to a place untold to others. None, not even her little ones, know why.”

  “Is this usual for the wood elves?”

  “No. The secrecy and the urgency bode of ill tidings.”

  “Danger?”

  “Perhaps. Fret not, for the wood elves are trustworthy. If this fortress were threatened, we would be told.”

  “Judith, do not believe this is an era of peace. Though unseen by most, a bitter war wages.”

  “Yes, I know. That is why this legion and many others are away from home. I also know that if we cannot live, then the enemy has won already.”

  “Yes.”

  “To peace,” Judith toasted, “and to friendship.”

  Aylith responded in kind, “To peace and to friendship.”

  “Now, my friend, let us enjoy ourselves without fret of war and enemies.”

  “Yes.” Aylith held out her cup to be refilled. Judith was wise and happy not to worry. Was that not the purpose of waging the War of Shadows– to preserve wisdom and happiness? Aylith now understood why Lord Vellizar had sent her away: the war was becoming her life! “Thank you,” she wished to tell him... and would.

  Aylith awoke to find Twaylee sleeping in bed with her. The greater nymph kissed the lesser then left the room to stretch and exercise. Afterwards, she washed herself and was getting dressed when Twaylee’s voice greeted, “Good morning.”

  “Good morning, Twaylee. I was surprised to find you in bed. I believed you would still be with the wood elves.”

  “No. I want to be with you.”

  Aylith smiled, “That is very sweet of you. Did you enjoy the sylvan festivities?”

  “I always do.”

  “Good. I want you to have fun. Do you wish to join me for breakfast?”

  “Yes.”

  “When you are clean, then we shall go down and eat.”

  Twaylee nodded and went into the washroom.

  After breakfast: Twaylee led Aylith out of the fortress and into the lush, green wilderness of Fay Dendria. The greater nymph asked the littler one, “Are we to see your sylvan friends?”

  “No. Well, we may happen upon them, but I merely wish to spend the day with you.”

  Aylith mentioned, “I was hoping to meet your mentor for scouting, Auntie Shy-Heart, but Dame Judith told me she has been summoned by the Good Mothers.”

  “No one knows where she went or why.”

  “Yes,” Aylith already knew. “I hope all is well.”

  Twaylee shrugged. “The hamadryads never tell anyone why they do anything.”

  “I doubt that.”

  The little nymph suddenly scurried up a tree! Aylith could hear her giggling. Twaylee invited, “Follow me up!”

  Aylith climbed after her mischievous friend until coming to near the top. “Look!” Twaylee pointed. Across the leafy canopy were the tops of the buildings and towers of Fortress Dendria Southeast and the sea and sky beyond.

  “The view is quite grand.”

  Twaylee told her, “We are on higher ground.”

  “Obviously.”

  “The dryads with Auntie Shy-Heart brought us scouts up this tree to chat.”

  “Yes. It is pleasant with a lovely view. They chose well.”

  “Yes. I told them so.”

  “It seems you enjoyed being posted in Fay Dendria.”

  Twaylee shrugged. “I liked it here but I missed Avalon. We were always happy to return to Avalon.”

  The two were staring out across the green expanse when Twaylee commented, “I like and dislike the ways of the wood elves. I would be more comfortable to live naked but I like my clothes.”

  Aylith chuckled. The sprite was merely thinking aloud. She advised Twaylee, “Wear your clothes when you wish and be naked when you wish.”

  “No! Well, I can here in Fay Dendria but I would look silly if I strolled about naked in Avalon.”

  “Yes, but you may do so.”

  “But I would look silly!”

  “Yes, you would.”

  Twaylee mentioned, “The wood elves neither read nor write. I like books and letters. Most sylvan folk know little of the world beyond their forest. That would be stifling.”

  “But Twaylee, they are happy here. What need have they to be privy of other places?”

  “Because the world is wondrous.”

  “The world is perilous and unfriendly.”

&
nbsp; “It is exciting!”

  “Danger is only adventure until it becomes harm.”

  Twaylee rolled her eyes and huffed. “You do not know what I am saying at all!”

  “Tell me what you mean.”

  “I am!”

  “Do so and I shall listen.”

  “I am glad I am not a wood elf, but I often wish I were.”

  “Why do you often wish you were?”

  “Because they are not so serious as our people. They do as they please.”

  “Twaylee, your ways are their ways beyond them.”

  “What?!”

  Aylith chuckled and did not answer.

  The two returned to the shaded floor of the forest. “Where are we going now?” the tall nymph asked her little friend.

  “The creek is not far from here.”

  “Creek? You want us to swim.”

  “Yes!”

  Coming to the creek, the two undressed and waded out into it. When the water was up to Twaylee’s lifted chin, she asked, “Are we going to swim or merely stand out here?”

  Aylith was further out than the littler elf, but the water was only up to her breasts. “I am content to merely stand out here. The gentle current is very soothing.”

  “May we move closer to the bank?”

  “You may swim, Twaylee... or move closer to the bank.”

  “Come with me.” Aylith splashed her instead! “Hey!” Twaylee went under and grabbed the bigger elf’s legs! Aylith snatched her up... and tickled her! Twaylee squealed and splashed with laughter! The two giggled and played and swam to nowhere in particular.

  Twaylee asked, “May we spend the evening here, on the bank?” She pointed at a spot that looked appropriate, “Maybe there?”

  “You do not wish to sleep in a bed this evening?”

  “No. We never do when we are on a quest.”

  Aylith nodded.

  Later: The two had gathered their supper of herbs, fruit, berries and bugs and made camp. Twaylee remarked, “Even our vacation is like a quest.”

  “Yes,” Aylith agreed, “but without the danger.”

  That evening: The two lay snuggled together listening to the churning of the creek and nearby waterfall and the chirping of insects. “Twaylee, I hope you are enjoying your return to Fay Dendria.”

  “I am.”

  “Good.”

  “Aylith?”

  “Yes?”

  “Have you enjoyed your stay here?”

  “Very much. Your friends and former officers are quite delightful.”

  Twaylee mentioned, “I wanted you to meet Auntie Shy-Heart.”

  “Perhaps we shall return and I shall meet her then.”

  “Aylith?”

  “Yes?”

  “Thank you.”

  Aylith cooed and cuddled her little friend.