Thalansala gave a sad sigh. "Well, Salinthia said he was human. Your friend is half-human, isn't he?"

Amber nodded, not ever having heard it put quite that way. As she thought about it, though, when she thought of Tayan as half-elf she did so knowing he was also half-human. From an elf's perspective, he would be considered half-human.

She was sure she would know if she had seen a fully human version of Tayan. Thoughts of what Tayan might look like all human, or all elf, led her to think about the painting he had in his magic bag. He had found it by accident, and became very upset when Odif prodded him about the people in it. Tayan had given Amber the bag after he found the portrait in it. Despite the fact it was very valuable, he wanted nothing more to do with it.

Touching the bag, which was now under her robes, she asked, "You said your niece was Jena...?"

"Jenesalinthia." Thalensala repeated.

"And her mother, is her name Sory...Sorenthia?" Amber asked, trying to remember.

"Saurenthansia."

"Right, Saurenthaisia!" Amber cried. "Tayan has a portrait of them."

Thalensala's eyes widened. "Tayan?" she asked, pointing her finger to where he had gone, "That was Tayan Montara, of the court of Elrad?"

Amber nodded. "His wife was Princess Lucinthia--she has passed on."

"I know, Salinthia told me." Deep in thought for a moment, she said, "Now it makes sense. You said Eric wasn't with him?"

"Why would he be?" Amber asked. Tayan had been upset the woman had mistaken him for this Eric. Was Eric a brother, perhaps? The glare he gave the woman held the same deep anger he showed when she had asked about his parents. Apparently, the elves in the painting were connected to him and this Eric in some way.

aExcuse me,a she told the woman politely and started after Tayan. Maybe if she brought it up the right way she could get to the bottom of what was troubling him.

A jerk on her arm turned her around to face Odif, eyes hard as she said, aLeave it alone.a Trying to keep some of her courage facing the druid's cold stare, she asked, aWhat do you know about this Eric?a aNot enough. Until I do, leave it alone.a As she gazed into Odifas eyes, something occurred to Amber she had never thought of before. aYou love him, donat you?a With an audible swallow, Odif gave an involuntary glance his way. aLetas just say I need to watch out for him.a Amber was dumfounded. Odif had Scorpio wrapped around her finger but that wasnat enough for this harlot.

aAnd just how many men do you have to watch out for?a she asked with a touch of sarcasm.

Odifas eyes quivered in their sockets as she took a half-step towards the priestess, who gripped the talisman of her Goddess as she moved an equal distance back; she gasped as Odif slapped a hand around her neck. Odif's voice was a low growl.

aI will tell you exactly what I told Lucinthia. Cause him pain, and I will rip your throat out. I will not warn you again--leave the subject of Eric to me.a Anger mixed into her fear, Amber forced her voice to sound as normal as possible with a constricted throat.

aLet me go.a she squeaked defiantly.

Studying her, Odif tipped her head to one side. aOne day you will do him justice, when youare strong enough.a With that, she let Amber go and walked away.

Until now, she had thought Odif was a friend. What she had just done wasnat friendly at all. Maybe Father Tanner had been right--druids were, indeed, like wolves and could turn on the very hand that fed them.

Collecting herself, Amber looked around to see if anyone had noticed. Thankfully, they were all too busy with the women and children. Tonight, she would add a special prayer for Odif in her evening prayers. Even though she acted like an animal, the woman deserved to be saved.

The elven women were not understanding about their menas demise. Once they found out what had happened they were very cold to their rescuers. Zit got slapped in the face by a grieving young woman as she screamed at him that he had killed her baby's father. Trelem offered to escort them to Newburg, but they all insisted on going back to their village. Thalansala had to convince them it wasn't safe to return with hoarcs on the loose. Odif and Tayan tried to reinforce this, and the women acted like they weren't even there.

Burying the dead and healing the wounded took the rest of the day. Scorpio helped Tayan drag halshaken bodies to the line of graves in the riverbank. Of the twenty-four halshaken that had come with them, only nine were left. Being on the one bank by themselves, they had taken the brunt of the hoarc's attack. Considering how many hoarcs there had been, Scorpio was surprised they all werenat dead.

Tayan wasn't thinking about the halshaken they were burying. His mind was on the elven women huddled together with their children. When they had entered the field prior to the elvesa attack, both Amber and Frieda had sensed evil. When the battle began, he convinced himself quickly the attackers were hoarcs imitating elves, something they had done a couple years before in the Jude Forest. It was only after the farmers lay dead at their feet and did not turn into dust that he knew they were not hoarcs. Now, facing their women made him feel hollow.

Not far away asmall boy clung to his mother's hand, her stricken face speaking of the horror they had gone through. These were Alderlan's subjects. As a member of the royal family, he was tasked to protect them, not slaughter their men. These were his people, and he had failed them miserably.

"We did what we had to," Scorpio told him, seeing the agony in his face. "Those elves bought the lives of their families with their own."

Tayan turned his gaze to the young warrior. "We should have run or tried to hold them back...anything but kill them."

"We didn't know what was happening!" Scorpio stressed. "Amber and Frieda said there was evil. We thought we were killing evil, not farmers!"

A memory flashed in Tayan's mind; his father, standing in a room full of elves to confess his crimes against them. He had been taught all elves were evil, he claimed, that's why he had done the things he did. At the time, Tayan could not understand how anyone could believe such nonsense. He knew the elven people were not evil; yet yesterday, when their priestesses warned of an evil presence, he had acted without question. He killed men who were guilty of nothing but trying to save their families. He had always thought he was different from his father. He had lived his life knowing he was better than the man who lived in the bottom of a mug, who beat and raped his mother, who had slain elves on sight. Now, he wasn't so sure.

"I can't fight elves, not anymore," he said quietly.

"Tayan, that was not your fault. They would have killed us!"

Nodding slightly, Tayan told him, "Maybe, but I will not raise a sword to another elf, even if it does kill me."

Putting his hands on his hips, Scorpio shook his head. "With any luck, it won't happen again."

Tayan sighed. "We're moving into Elrad, and those black knights are ahead of us as well as behind us. As long as they are alive, it will happen again."

"Maybe you should be the one to talk to those poor women. You, Zit and Gloredaniel are the only ones they trust, anyway." Scorpio shrugged, trying very hard to sound sympathetic.

Tayan glared at him. "They don't trust us. Right now they have no choice but to travel with us to Newburg. Every woman and child from that village hates us, and they have reason to. I will be very surprised if King Alderlan doesn't issue a warrant for my arrest."

"I'm sure he'll understand what happened when it's explained to him."

"By whom?" Tayan asked harshly. "Odif or Trelem? I'm sure he will forgive our slaughtering every man in one of our villages." Irritated at the young man, he stomped off before Scorpio could reply.

The three days to Newburg were tense ones. Besides dealing with the hatred from the elven women, Trelem also kept a constant long-range watch. Shilo flew on ahead, as did Odif, though this time she stayed in the form of an eagle. Zit padded along in leopard form, sniffing and watching for any sign hoarcs had passed. Any ravens they came across were killed, whether or not Amber and Frieda sensed anything from the birds. If magic didn't get them, Odif would chase them down and shred them with her eagle talons or Shilo would dispatch them with hissword.

They came upon another village empty of life. A search was performed to try and determine what had happened to the people, but not a trace of them was found. They made camp ringed around the women and children, letting only the wizards get a full night's sleep. Everyone else took long shifts standing guard, partially to help the elves feel safe but also because everyone knew that the enemy was still out there.

On their first day of travel, Liefelm arrived and told them that Zodiac was going to meet them in Newburg with the men he had recovered.

After a couple of days, Thalansala had convinced most of the women that the black knight had caused the loss of their men and homes. This didn't help Tayan's dark mood. If anything, the hurt deepened when some of the women came and apologized for screaming at him. He spent most of the night on sentry duty, promising Amber he would get some sleep before she curled up in her own bed late at night and swearing to Odif he had been asleep most of the night when she got up before dawn.

On the last night before they reached Newburg, as the guard was being set, he found a good perch on a tall outcropping of rock that let him scan the thick brush for a good fifty yards. Head no more that settled down when Amber found him.

She approached holding an armload of freshly picked vines that still bore tiny red flowers. Smiling as she stepped up to him, she draped them over his shoulders.

"There," she said sweetly, "a colorful cape to help brighten your mood.a Tayan shifted on his seat on the rock. He was in no mood for foolishness, but let her put the vines over him to amuse her.

"Thanks." he said, trying to smile. As Amber stepped back to admire him, he heard a voice from behind.

"Letacio prigiona!"

The words were low but firm. The vines closed tightly around him, binding his arms to his sides. He had been tricked! He tried to stand to confront Odif, but the vines encircled his legs, toppling him over to lie helpless on the ground. Glaring up at her, he growled, "Get this stuff off me!"

Odif squatted down beside him with a brief glance at Amber. "These vines will stay fresh until late tomorrow. That means you will get up only when I release you.a Shifting to bring her staff around and lay it against the side of his head, she glared back at him. aYou can listen to the song Amber has to lull you to sleep, or I can bash you over the head. Either way, Lord Tayan Montara, you are getting some rest."

Tayan knew there was no getting loose by himself. He also knew Odif didn't make idle threats. If he tried to send Amber away he'd be waking up with a huge headache in the morning. He didn't feel like sleeping--whenever he shut his eyes he saw frightened faces in tattered uniforms coming at him. Dropping his head to the ground, he sighed.

"I can't get them out of my mind, Odif. I--"

"I will take care of that," Amber said as she came around to stand by Odif. "I do not want you to be hurt, but I stand with Odif. You will sleep tonight.a With a small grin, she added, "I can sing pretty well--it will be much more pleasant than a staff over your head."

Tayan had no choice but to nod in resignation. Odif got up to go get him a blanket as Amber settled down near him. The song she started was a simple childhood melody about a boy finding pixies in the woods behind his house. He didn't think it was going to work, but as he listened to her soft voice he began to feel very tired. The image of the boy dancing with the colorful dots of light came to him, and he found if hard to keep his eyes open.

By the time Odif returned with the blanket, he was asleep.

Chapter 3.

Newburg had been built by human traders as a post for goods flowing to and from Elrad. As with all towns, it grew in size as time went on. Farms sprang up, shops, and smiths to repair wagons passing through. Elves settled in, and so did bits of culture. Where once had been a few boarding houses and stables was now a community that had an architecture of its own.

Although it was within the kingdom of Elrad, Newburgas population was mostly human. It was also the only place where one could find a delightful blend of elven and human influence in everything from clothing to music.

Outside Newburg, Odif discovered a troop of hoarcs watching the town. Coming up behind them, she dispatched them quickly. The presence of the creatures told Tayan that the army of evil was already here. His plan of just leading the line of fugitives in might get them filled with arrows.

He was in the center of a trio that walked to the stone bridge that crossed the river into town. On his left, Odif scrutinized the pair of elven guards on the apex of the arch of the bridge as one slapped the other's shoulder, sending him running back the other way. To his right, Trelem scanned the riveras surface, noting the position of the halshaken who waited under the bridge. Not knowing what to expect, they planned to have Tayan go in with an escort before the rest led the women and children in.

Tayan had a clear head, thanks to the sleep Odif and Amber had forced on him. He almost hugged Odif when he thanked her. He held back, knowing if he started becoming too friendly with her again it would lead to nothing but trouble.

As they approached, a troop of elven soldiers marched up over the top of the bridge towards them.

aGot your insects ready?a Tayan asked Odif quietly.

aOn my side of the bridge and under it,a she replied without looking at him.

aI am ready to set fire to their bows the second they nock arrows. The halshaken will help cover our escape, if it comes to that,a Trelem told him.

By the time they got to the foot of the bridge, the troop of soldiers had lined up across the width. Forming into ranks, they marched forward.

Tayan eyed Odif and Trelem. aRemember, no matter what, no killing.a aIall try.a Odif sighed. aIf itas me or them...a She let her words fall off, knowing he got the idea.

aIt wonat be,a he assured her.

The elf sergeant halted his troops a respectful distance away. Pointing his sword at their feet, he commanded, aPlace your weapons on the ground and step back.a aI donat think so,a Odif snorted.

The elf scowled at her. aGive your weapons up, or they will be taken from you!a Tayan took a step towards him. aI am Lord Tayan Montara. I need to speak with whomever is in charge.a The elf gaped at him. aLord Montara? What are you doing with humans?a This was the last place Tayan expected to hear a comment like that. One of the reasons he liked Newburg was because he never felt out of place coming here. The town sported the largest population of racially mixed people in the land. Looking at the elfas uniform, he noted it was regular army.

aThese people are with me. We have refugees from surrounding villages that need shelter. We have found hoarcs in the area, andI need to talk to your superiors immediately.a The elf flushed. aYes, of course, Malord.a He sent one of his soldiers to go find his commander then made his troops reform to the sides. Tayan raised his arm in the air and signalled for Scorpio to start the flow of villagers. As the women and children walked up the road, the elf sergeant bowed to Tayan.

aI am terribly sorry, Malord. Weave been having difficulties. Hoarcs are around the town; and with the proclamation, things have been very tense,a he explained. Glancing at Odif and Trelem, he asked, aMalord, are these...druids?a aThis is Trelem, First Druid of Longforest, and this is Odif, a Second Druid of Longforest and the senior druid in Lord Zodiacas Company.a The elf looked at them again; his face showed he was very glad he hadnat tried to forcibly take their weapons away.

aAre there any more, Malord?a he asked weakly.

aA few, as well as human and elven wizards and priests.a The elf swallowed. aI will see you to Commander Eldarin, MaLord. This may cause difficulties.a aI take it you donat like us,a Odif observed.

aIt is the proclamation, Malady,a the elf told her. aCommander Eldarin will explain.a Tayan stepped aside as the first women passed by.

aSergeant, there are halshaken in the river below us. They are our allies and are to be left alone.a A few elves looked over the bridge rail to verify what he said. Seeing the long shapes in the water below, they backed away from the edge.

aWhat is going on?a the sergeant asked then added, aMalord?a aA war, and itas heading this way,a Tayan told him. He started walking, and motioned for Odif and Trelem to follow.

aI fear it is here already,a the elf said and gestured at the fields beyond. aWe have brought in everyone in the surrounding area and have already had skirmishes with hoarcs and humans.a aHow long has this been going on?a aHuman raids, for the past month. Only in the last few days have we spotted hoarcs near the town.a Shifting his eyes again to Trelem and Odif, the sergeant said, aI recommend you leave your escort here, Malord. Many soldiers are eager for human blood.a Humans raiding in Elrad, elves made to dress up in uniform and attack druids--Tayan saw what evil was trying to do.

aI understand.a Turning to Trelem, he said, aBring up the village women then set camp on the other side of the river, out of town. Spread everyone out, not too close to the banks, and be prepared for anything. Iall return shortly.a ***

Tayan led the women and children into town. Henoted that almost every dwelling had some sort of conveyance in front of it, from large wagons to hand-drawn carts. Each one was being loaded as people stood nearby selling what they couldnat carry. A human woman was hugged by an elf, who gave her an armload of bread worth a fraction of the finely carved table he bought. On the other side of the street, a sad-looking human man had his tools laid out, and a pair of elven soldiers looked them over.

On a shed near the man selling his tools, Tayan noted a parchment had been tacked up. It was an official proclamation from the Duke in this province, complete with his seal. Written in both Elradian and Western, it read : Proclamation to all in the Province of Elsanor On this 27th day of Rantum, in Odinas year 3367, I, Shalaran Quinlan, Duke of Elsanor, hereby make the following proclamation: In response to the lawless acts that have recently plagued our land, I declare that no person of non-elven heritage shall be allowed to bear weapons of any kind. To keep the peace in our lovely land, I also decree that all persons of non-elven heritage shall be displaced east of the Mason River byno later than the next full moon. I call on all local authorities and military commanders to help make this transition as smooth and peaceful as possible. All displaced persons shall be granted amounts of land equal to thosethey currently hold once they reach their new homes. All travelers will be provided an armed escort to ensure they reach their destinations safely.

Shalaran Quinlan, Duke of Elsanor The duke was responding to the raids by removing all humans from his province. Innocent people were being driven from their homes. He tore the proclamation down.

aMaLord?a the elf said nervously.

aJust get me to your commander,a Tayan grated.

He met Commander Eldarin just outside his quarters, which was a large stone-and-brick house with a low wall skirting the front lawn and a slate path going to the door. By the trampled flowers along the edge of the path, Tayan didnat think these had been his quarters for long. Near the barn, he saw a blue dragon with a silver stripe running down its side, the colors of Elsanor.

aGreetings, MaLord. Our regiment just moved in a few days ago,a Eldarin explained as Tayan studied the crushed flowerbeds. aThe Mayor was gracious enough to offer me his home before he left with the advance party.a aAdvance party?a Tayan asked as he stopped at the doorway.

aYes, MaLord, he has gone ahead to scout out the best place to start their new town.a The proclamation had sent innocent people right into the war zone. Tayan cleared his throat.

aCommander Eldarin, send your fastest messenger--and not the dragon. See if they can catch up and bring them back.a Eldarin gave him a confused look. aMaLord, they will need to find a suitable place to start a new town.a aYou have sent those people into the middle of a battle,a Tayan stated. aRecall them, now.a aBattle?a Tayan nodded. aRemember those hoarcs around your town? Thousands are fighting Zodiacas army to the east, and the fight is headed this way. Right after you send out the messengers, I will need parchments and quills.a aI can have a scribe sent to you, MaLord,a Eldarin offered.

Tayan looked past him to see a large group of townspeople had followed them. aI have another duty for your scribes. As of this moment, In the name of King Alderlan, I am prohibiting any movement east of this town. Duke Quinlanas proclamation hereby is suspended until further notice. Write that and put up it all over town.a aBut--a Tayan held up a hand to quiet him. aCommander, I will be sending messages to Duke Quinlan and to King Alderlan. I want your dragon to deliver them as quickly as possible.a Eldarinas face flushed. aOf course, MaLord. I will have someone take you to the study so you can compose your messages. Iall send my dragon handler in to collect them.a aAnd, Commander,a Tayan said as he turned around, aLord Zodiac is our ally. Inform your troops not to fire on any druids or halshaken.a Eldarin eyed him suspiciously. aHalshaken are coming, also?a aThey are in the river by the town right now. We have a truce until we destroy the hoarcs--do not fire on them.a Eldarinas voice lacked volume as he said, aYes, MaLord.a He turned away to fulfill Lord Montaraas wishes. He clearly didnat like having a half-human telling him what to do, but only two people in the whole kingdom could overrule Tayan. How King Alderlan ever let a mongrel into such a high position, he would never know. No elf would ever lead such a mixed band of creatures into Elrad, especially during a time like this. Sometimes, it seemed his king was not as wise as everyone thought.

The study Tayan was led to belonged to the mayor, or had. The sturdy oak desk with finely detailed scrolling on the sides and down the legs had been made in Newburg. The pens by the inkpot were another example of simple construction with the touch ofelegance that Newburg was known for. The thick quills were stained red, with silver threads wound down the length of the shafts toform a diamond pattern, a simple tool made to look like it belonged in a kingas court. He settled down in the leather chair and went to work to save these people.

Tayan wrote first to King Alderlan, explaining in detail what they hadfound so far then his actions and an apology for acting without royal consent. He hoped that Alderlan would see the wisdom in what he was doing. To Duke Quinlan he first apologized for his swift action then assured him that it was for the safety of King Alderlanas subjects. He finished by explaining he was sending a letter to the king, and urged the duke to wait until King Alderlan made a final decision before attempting to enforce relocation.

Satisfied his letters were properly formal, he sealed them with wax and used his wedding ring to make his imprint, which bore the Elradian seal.

An elven soldier who bore no weapons came in and stood by the doorway.

aYou wanted to see me, MaLord?a he asked with a bow.

aWho are you?a aDevernon, Commander Eldarinas dragon handler, MaLord,a he said with another bow.

Tayan waved him over to the desk. aI have a vital mission for you, Devernon.a Holding the scrolls up, he shook each as he said, aThis one is for Duke Quinlan. This one is for King Alderlan. You will deliver them. Do not hand them off to an advisor or guard, but put them in the duke's and kingas hands yourself. Fly to Elsanor city first then to Elrad and wait there for King Alderlanas reply.a Devernon paled. aMaLord...this is a great honor.a He knew of Lord Tayan Montara--stories of him abounded. To not only see but serve the savior of Elrad and the Jude Forrest elves was a dream come true. aI shall not fail.a aGood.a Tayan smiled. aMake best speed, but do not take any foolish risks.a aYes, MaLord.a he said, bowing again. He gingerly took the scrolls then walked off briskly to perform his mission.

Commander Eldarin returned and stood at attention across the desk from Tayan.