The kings of the "house of trees" – lizards and grandchildren E-Book

Johanna Maurer

• Herausgeber: novum publishing
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 1022

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

King Gathame and some of his vassals have to watch their backs. They have been thrown out of Gydland and urgently need a new hideout. The royal house of Varngond has filed a complaint against him with the High Council. He must disappear immediately. Gathame offers his new host, the emperor of the lizards, a special treat. He offers them Varngond and its inhabitants in return for the shelter. The emperor gladly accepts this gift, and so the order is given to raid and take possession of Pelegorn. "We have decided to abandon Varngond and flee to an outlying world," King Tharandil orders. Whether they will ever return to Varngond, their home, only the gods know.

Leseprobe

Any inconsistencies in the text are due to the fact that it was translated using computer-aided technology for a company-wide study.

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dedication

This story is

for my twin sister, Karin, who supported me with advice and criticism.

For a friend, Michele, who encouraged me to send the manuscript to a publisher.

For my husband, Heiko, who read the very first version and encouraged me to continue writing.

Section I

King Gathame's betrayal

The other elves

It has been so many eons that even the oldest existing history books of the elves no longer contain all the detailed memories in words. Only vague hints, a few conjectures, some theories, but hardly any solid, verifiable facts remain within the pages. What is it? It is the story of another part of the Elven race, of the men and women who departed back then.

A long, long time ago, the previously coexisting people of the elves split into two groups.

The majority of them remained on Pelegorn, while the smaller group departed through a gate. Where to? No one can say for sure today, for with the last elf passing through the archway, all contact with them was lost. At that time, it was believed they had vanished forever, and their history faded over the millennia that followed, overshadowed by other events. Until today, for a handful of the emigrants have returned.

But from the beginning and how the split came about in the first place.

Far, far back in time, long before the modern kingdoms arose, and long before Pelegorn became what it is now, the Elven people lived in the forests, the plains, by the river, and the sea, and some family groups even lived in the oases of the desert. However, their world and community were not yet firmly established, in states or countries with borders and families that ruled over the territories and their subjects. Almost all of the inhabitants wandered as nomads, living from hunting and fishing,and also gathering whatever food the plant world offered them. At some point over the centuries, some of them became sedentary and founded the first settlements. At first, they moved into the nearby forests to hunt and harvest the fruits of the trees and bushes, but over the years they learned to cultivate grain and raise livestock. A migration from one hunting ground to another, their migration with the large herds, was now no longer necessary to feed all the individuals.

This upheaval in their way of life led to a better and more stable supply of food, but it also led to the first wars. Settled farmers clashed with the tribes of their people who continued to roam freely. They fought relentlessly for power and land. Brother raised sword against brother, sister drew bow against sister, alliances were formed and broken.

The fields and fenced meadows hindered the seasonal migrations of the numerous antelopes, horses, and wild cattle, and with the endless, open grasslands, the livelihood of the animals and, with it, that of the nomads dwindled. The quantity of huntable game steadily declined over the years, reaching the present-day populations, and as a result, the hunters and gatherers eventually settled in the villages.

At some point, the kingdoms in their current form emerged from this confusion of initially loosely connected settlement zones, and the High Council was created as an authority that unites all and is responsible for maintaining peace among them.

Under these new conditions, which favored technological and social developments, the Elven people grew and prospered as a unified whole. Their society became more complex and multifaceted. A wide variety of professions and craft guilds emerged, and in peacetime, where they could flourish, the work of their hands reached perfection. Well-tended lands fed their owners and all the inhabitants of the land. Where no worry aboutdaily bread robs them of their daylight hours, the elves can give form to their imaginations and ideas, and the arts of all kinds—writing, painting, ornamentation, and much else that is part of life and makes it more beautiful—have their roots in this era.

Many things as they exist today originated in ancient times, created by mind and hand, but one thing has always existed. Since the beginning, since the first hours when the gods formed the gray into a sphere, to their world called Pelegorn, the gates have existed. They lead in and out of the sphere they inhabit and from one corner to the other within their lands.

Although the development of their people, their knowledge and their craftsmanship was now progressing splendidly and everyone should have been satisfied, there were men and women who could not come to terms with the new order.

For whatever reasons, mostly personal, they were by no means willing to integrate into the community. They even vehemently refused to follow the gods' instructions for a peaceful, harmonious, and prosperous existence, and the laws and regulations of the High Council meant nothing to them.

They lived by their own rules, always striving for harmony with their neighbors, but they refused to allow the gods to interfere in their lives. For them, the gods hovered above them, without any connection between above and below, and the same applied to the High Council. They questioned the necessity of an authority, each man and woman being able to speak for themselves, and they resolved disputes in family councils.

Their quarrels with the fellowship didn't last long, and the High Council made short work of them because their unwillingness to integrate in any way simply persisted. Despite all the Council's helpful offers and willingness to compromise, the members grew weary of any discussion and were given the choice of either pulling together with the others or leaving Pelegorn.

Many of them chose the second option and went to a foreign land where they believed they had a future. Entire families and village communities set out on their journey, packed with their livestock and other belongings on ox and horse carts. None of them wanted to serve a king, pay taxes, or send their sons and daughters to battle for him. They wanted to obey their own social order and their own laws. Among them, every man and woman had the same right to speak, and the community deliberated and determined their own destinies. Everyone was equal; there were no distinguished individuals with special rights.

The gate they chose for their exodus led them to a foreign land with similar living conditions and therefore seemed very suitable to them.

However, they weren't the first beings to settle in this world, as it was already inhabited by a species of humans. However, since it was a vast landmass with many rivers and lakes, there was enough space for everyone, and they decided to settle there.

Initially, the paths between the individual settlements and groups, both elves and humans, were long and arduous, and it took time to get from one settlement to another. Wild land stretched as far as the eye could see between the individual inhabited areas.

The elves were very welcome to the humans, bringing with them not only a multitude of hardworking hands and good livestock, but also technical and medical knowledge and craftsmanship. In return for their willingness to share this with the humans, they received land and water rights, forests to clear and thus timber for house building, and grassy plains and valleys for farming. Both sides benefited from each other for a long time, and the future could have been so bright.

But, as so often in the history of nations, there were envious beings, a third group of beings outside their wonderful and perfect world. And it was also a gateway through which troublemakers entered, bringing with them chaos and catastrophe. The close cooperation and friendly coexistence of humans and elves held a magical attraction for the lizard people. They cravednew lands, treasures, and slaves.

But before that, hundreds of years had passed. Elven society remained firmly rooted in its traditions and beliefs, while human society changed. Due to their infinite existence and the knowledge that all land, all water, all wood, and indeed all elements are finite, and that there should be enough for everyone for as long as possible, or time to grow back, the female elves bore only a few children. Just enough to allow a slight increase in their population in the first few years and to consolidate their people. After that, they more or less maintained their numbers. The mass of humans, on the other hand, continued to grow. Due to sufficient food, widespread medical care, and almost nonexistent birth control, which fell victim to religious madness and misguided policies, their society rose sharply.

Suddenly, they needed more and more space, more and more water, and more and more land. Their own forests were slowly but surely deteriorating into a pitiful state and would soon be nothing more than tiny stands in the middle of a desert. In general, they plundered their entire world, without regard for their children and those who came after them.

As a final consequence of their actions, they were just beginning to consider taking away from the elves everything they had once generously given them. Piece by piece, land and water—they had been there first—the newcomers should leave again.

The lizards were waiting for exactly this moment; it was the perfect moment to take over the business. When two fight,a third is happy. They just had to act quickly, otherwise there would hardly be anything left worth conquering.

The humans weren't entirely comfortable with the messengers from the world called Ochios, but probably more because of their appearance than their possible plans. However, the emissaries spoke of a solution to all their problems: energy, land shortages, water supplies, and so on. Who wouldn't jump at the chance and seek cooperation?

However, it then developed in a direction that people could hardly have dreamed of, and any nightmare would have been a wonderful, rosy fairytale story compared to it.

The lizards marched in with an overwhelming war machine, threw the current rulers from their chairs, and solved the problem of overpopulation and the resulting inconveniences by releasing a species of mosquito.

Small, but with deadly venom in their stings. Only a few human specimens survived the massacre, and the number that survived was insignificant to the history of their world, so they were allowed to live as exhibits in zoos.

The fate of the elves was different. Immune to the poison of the flying pests, their population density remained at the same level. They also did not interfere in the war, although the humans hated them for their neutrality. "We gave them a new home, and now they won't help us defend it."

But they too had to pay a high price, perhaps even partly caused by their inaction. Neutral behavior or not, this mattered to the lizards miles beyond their scaly backsides. They were harassed and bullied, yet many of them were omitted from being killed.

The elves were to become the servants of their new masters, and what the humans had previously planned, the Ochingers now put into action. They took everything, absolutely everything, from them. In the end, even their freedom and dignity. Atgunpoint, they demanded the Siberyl from the elves and, under torture, extorted the magic words for various magical arts. This gave them control over the elves.

Unlike the human inhabitants, the lizards are familiar with magic and when they saw the Siberyl they immediately knew about its power and how they could use it for their own purposes.

The once free and proud elves quickly became slaves to the lizards. Passage through the gate was now denied them, for without their stones, the elves could no longer open it and escape.

In their good nature and trust in their gods, they had waited too long, closing their eyes to the reality that only became apparent shortly after the lizards' military invasion. Their perseverance, their adherence to what is written in the "Book of Families," and their hope for a positive outcome without themselves putting their heads on the line in battle against the scaly invaders, now took a terrible revenge.

All this happened many, many generations ago.

Meanwhile, the great forgetting set in, and the elves lost their origins and culture from their memory. The names of the gods are whispered only by a few in captivity, the gods' instructions for life are known only to the most ancient men and women, and children grow up without a Yearhouse, without guidance for adulthood, without a community governed by elven rules—assuming there are any children left at all. This deplorable situation has now lasted for an infinitely long time.

In addition, the lizards separated the elves into males and females, and they only allow pairs to come together if they want offspring for the slave market. Men and women who secretly find each other and lie together face severe punishments, ranging from beatings to branding. They always want to know the exact number of their members, so that no group exists outside their control.

Under these circumstances, it was only natural that the gate fell into almost complete oblivion. An ancient legend survived, and only a few very elderly elves still know of it. Incidentally, it is forbidden under penalty of law to speak of the journey.

There's a couple, a female elf and a male elf, and the woman is pregnant without permission. They have virtually no chance. She'll be able to give birth to the child, but they'll take it away from her as soon as she's weaned.

He, he may not survive the blows that await him, but the master lizards still know nothing about their soon-to-be rounded belly and their father.

There are two siblings, a young elf and his sister, who is only a few years younger, and he is doing everything in his power to prevent her from being used as a breeding elf. In the not too distant future, they are guaranteed to take his sister, because she is beautiful, and good-looking women are particularly popular for breeding.

There are two men, inseparable friends since childhood. All each of them wants is a partner with whom they can share the years together. All their hearts desire is a normal life, perhaps a small family, all they seek is a little love. But where are they supposed to find that in a world where they can only dream of a woman?

Each of them believes the story from the mouth of the elderly elf. Her words sound so wonderful: a land where they can be free. What was that again, freedom, a feeling, a way of life? The idea of passing through a gate and seeing their brothers and sisters again becomes a beautiful dream for them and eventually an insatiable desire. And what's even more important is eating and drinking whatever and whenever they want, going wherever they want, loving and desiring whomever they want.

They receive a piece of paper from the old elf woman. A drawing of a drawing of a drawing, copied countless times, the lines slightly shifted over the course of the many copies, but the location of the gate is clear, and it is close to them all.

All six elves decide to secretly search for the gate together and pass through. They received the key from the woman, one of the last dark purple Siberyl, and she tells them the magic words to open the escape tunnel. Her legacy to these sad figures before she goes to the gods of her own free will. The last freedom they have left, and one over which the lizards have no control, is their self-chosen passage into the mists to the gate to the “First World”.

However, someone on the other side of Pelegorn is still very interested in this gate today. In a sense, these people are also refugees, albeit for different reasons. King Gathame and his lover, along with several loyal vassals, must take care to gain ground. They have just been more or less kicked out of Gydland and urgently need a new hiding place.

The royal house of Varngond, namely King Tharandil and Princess Jamena, have filed a complaint against him with the High Council. The charges include child abduction, abuse of power, and blackmail; unfortunately, they cannot prosecute him for rape. Jamena came to him of her own free will, and Solona took her place out of a sense of duty and love for her sister-in-law. So, he must leave immediately, or he'll be buried in the mines forever. Gathame knows his throne has been well protected all these years. His lover's brother, the magician, assumed the crown of the "House of Waves" upon his departure in his capacity as steward.

Tharandil, of course, didn't let the matter rest. How could he? He feels personally attacked. Whilehis daughter didn't pay the price for the return of Hamiko, Solona gave herself into Gathame's clutches for her, this makes no difference to him. Solona belongs to his family through Thelekos, and even though she is a fox-hunter and risks her life for the members of the royal family, she was simply fulfilling her duty. In his opinion, she has a right to have Gathame convicted and punished.

The lizard creatures Gathame and his people encounter on the other side of the gate are completely surprised by their appearance and astonished by their manner. They have never seen such elves before: proud, strong, and free. How should they deal with them? First, they should hurry to the emperor; he will know what to do. Their ruler is delighted and very accommodating to the supplicants. For they bring precious gifts: gold, silver, and precious stones for his empty treasury, as well as interesting knowledge and magic. Where all this came from, there is surely more to behad.

Gathame also offers his new host a special treat. He offers Varngond and its inhabitants in return for shelter. The emperor graciously and happily accepts this gift.

As greedy as they are for new land and riches, they cannot help but flatter the king of the "House of Waves," even if he is an inferior life form, an elf.

WhatGathame sees in the new world, the miserable fate of the ancient elven people, their suffering, leaves his heart completely cold. He only wants to carry out his revenge and escape punishment. It takes some time before he sets foot in King Tharandil's realm again; the invasion requires careful preparation.

Arrival in Varngond

Between the fourth and fifth summer after King Gathame was last seen, a strange event, initially completely irrelevant to the “House of Trees,” occurs in a small village on the edge of the great forest.

This is simply a matter of striking out at the thieves who have been up to mischief here again. Upon entering the shed, the man can't believe his eyes; another barrel of apples was broken into last night, and now, as before, a few fruits are missing. This is the third time in this dekare that the thieves have been here, and five days ago, two pieces of ham even went missing from the smokehouse. To him, this no longer looks like some kind of prank by teenagers; they might just throw a test of courage once in a while and then it'll be over. Likewise, the idea of someone in Pelegorn stealing food out of hunger seems pretty far-fetched. No one here—at least he can't name anyone offhand—needs to steal food. Besides, there are plenty of apples hanging on the trees, and if you're specifically after fruit, you could shake them off the branches much more easily. So the only version that remains is that it was just some stupid behavior by kids from the neighborhood or some people who are afraid of daylight.

Grumbling, he goes to see his wife, who is feeding the cows in the stable, and tells her about the recent thefts.

"Guess what I just discovered? It's been another thief stealing apples. I've had enough, and so have the others. We, and I speak for the entire neighborhood, are so sick of it. The day before yesterday, two chickens were stolen four houses down. Starting tomorrow evening, we're taking action and laying inwait. We want to see what kind of thieving fox is up to mischief here."

Planned and executed, on the evening in question, eight men from the village took up their guard posts. Whether the lurkers show up today remains to be seen. Almost all of the isolated farms have been visited by these nebulous figures over the past three dekare, and now it's high time to put an end to it.

They don't want to bother the nearest fighter squadron with this problem. They might arrive with two dozen armed horsemen and then capture a gang of young good-for-nothings, and that would be very embarrassing. Calling for a battalion over such a trivial matter would give the impression that they themselves are too stupid and incompetent to catch them.

No, they'd rather not. They'll handle it themselves. If their presence becomes necessary, they can always be called, but first, they'll have to arrest the guys and take them to the deepest basement.

The dark hours slowly pass, and then, suddenly, just before the end of the first half of the night, the elves notice unusual movements around the house. Shadows are indeed creeping silently around the shed, using every possible cover.

"Let's go! Get her!" a loud shout yells through the darkness. A figure runs off at lightning speed, with two of the guards chasing after it. The fugitive doesn't get very far, however, and they catch him before he reaches the meadow. Another figure hides behind the rainwater barrel, where he is caught huddled in the corner, and the third figure plucks him from the fence. Astride the top crossbar, he simply sits there as his followers are caught, nailed to the spot and ready to be taken away.

Victorious, the elves return to one of the houses with their loot and, with rough shoves, push the three thievesahead of them, directly into the large kitchen-living room. Here, in the light of the lamps, they see for the first time who they have caught. Truly a big catch! An elf man, a young elf lad, and a still-girlish elf.

But from the looks of them, they must have come from another planet. All three prisoners are dressed in shapeless, coarse clothing, resembling scarecrows. Their trousers and shirts are made of plain linen, and over them they wear mid-length, thigh-length jackets made of poor-quality wool. Their footwear is equally miserable, made of poorly treated leather, and their footwear resembles cobbled-together galoshes more than proper boots. In short, their entire clothing, from top to toe, is of poor and cheap manufacture.

The pieced-together nature of the clothes might be somewhat understandable for vagrants, but hardly the shoes; no craftsman on Pelegorn works that poorly. These shoes wouldn't even pass as the first attempt of an apprentice to a master.

This is all very strange, but what is even more astonishing, or rather frightening, is their physical appearance. Both men and the girl have short hair, and for the elves, such a hairstyle is a completely unusual sight, as the Pelegornians all wear long hair. Furthermore, their overall stature appears emaciated, and their prominent cheekbones, combined with their pursed lips, make their faces appear narrow.

One thing is certain, they haven't had anything decent to eat in a long time. Silent and shy, all three petitioners gaze around with wide, gleaming eyes. And there's something else that makes the persecutors pause, because it seems odd to them: the missing Siberyls; none of them is wearing a stone around their neck.

A brief silence on both sides, then one of the younger villagers blurts out: "Who in the world is that? What prison did they escape from?"

A legitimate question, since free residents of Pelegorn walk through the countryside dressed differently, and even the prison inmates don't look quite so shabby. But regardless, if you ignore these minor differences, they are clearly elves. They are members of their race, just rather miserable to look at. And that immediately raises the next question: why and where.

From which corner of Pelegorn could such vagabonds come? The initial assumption that they escaped from a detention center or the mines falls flat. If they came from there, they would look better fed, and no one would shave their hair short. Only the absence of the Siberyl suggests this. They don't talk about themselves either, by the way; not a word comes from their lips as they stand around being examined by their captors.

Finally, the owner gestures to them to sit on the large kitchen bench. The little girl sways on her thin legs, threatening to fall over at any moment.

They hastily obey the order, and the three thin people huddle fearfully together on the kitchen bench. The young man leans against the adult, the girl pressed tightly against the boy, lying in his arms. Standing so close together, it's immediately obvious the two are siblings. Opposite them in the middle of the room, four tall, strong elves still stand, swords in hand, glaring at them hostilely.

"Now, let's talk to you, you pretty ones. Who are you and where do you come from?" the elf, in whose house they are now, begins the interrogation of the criminals in a loud voice.

They look at each other questioningly, and the eldest shakes his head as if considering whether they should speak up. Except, given their situation, that seems the most sensible thing to do.

At the first few words, they think they're hearing an unfamiliar language, but then they realize he's speaking theirlanguage, just from a very long time ago. His unusual accent is strong, and some words sound foreign because they haven't been used for a long time.

At the beginning of his short speech, the man mentions their names, and with a tired voice and tears in his eyes, he then describes the conditions in the land from which they came. His hands tremble during some passages, especially when he tells of the old elf and the escape through the gate. The others listen curiously—is such a thing possible? They would gladly listen all night, but after only a few minutes, he ends his account. He leaves aside details about their personal circumstances that drove them to flee, and they don't need to hear anything about the other three refugees still hidden in the woods.

One looks to the other. Forget about stupid pranks by teenagers, these people stole out of pure hunger. A fact that calms the elves' anger at the perpetrators, and instead of a desire for revenge, pity spreads within them. The master of the house responds much more kindly than before.

"Your story sounds very adventurous and quite strange, and even if you had every reason to steal food, we still have to keep you here and wait for the hunters. The fact is, you appropriated, or rather, stole, someone else's property. The why is secondary to the question, and besides, you urgently need help to find an honest path. We will notify our security forces tonight, and you will remain in this house until tomorrow morning. After that, the hunters will take you into custody so that the matter can be clarified by a court. Don't be afraid, it's also for your safety that they look after you. You will be treated well, and you can eat your fill every day."

What's left for them to do but nod? They can figure out who or what the hunters are, based on what they've just heard. They're the local law enforcement, and people like them are being put behind bars—that muchthey've understood. As previously announced, that same night a messenger rides out of town to the nearest hunters' garrison to report the capture of three mysterious elves.

At the last sentence, the lady of the house also entered the kitchen. Her curiosity drives her there; understandably, she wants to know who is walking in the dark, raiding the shed.

At first, she almost laughs out loud when she sees the skinny thieves, but it's just a clearing of the throat, the sound catching in her throat. They look so pitiful, so instead, a mocking remark comes out of her mouth. "Well, wonderful, you've made quite a haul. Must have been a tough fight to overpower them? How about giving them something to eat and drink first, otherwise they'll fall over before a hunter even sets foot in here."

Typical woman, she feeds everyone at once and promptly throws out three of the four elves, leaving only her husband to be useful. Together they set the table with bread, butter, curds, cheese, ham, fruit, and sweet pastries. No movement from the prisoners, no hasty grabbing, no hungry biting into a fragrant slice of bread, no thirsty drinking. Only the girl furtively takes a slice of bread, without anything on it, and bites into it very slowly. The two men hold back, even though their eyes gaze greedily at the plates.

"Have fun, have courage, you have to eat something," the man encourages his guests, and with a sigh, his wife begins to make them sandwiches. Thickly spread with butter, topped with cheese and ham, she pushes the full plates towards them, right under their noses. Now dig in. Carefully, the two men each take a buttered sandwich from the ceramic plates and begin to eat. One bite after the other, they chew on it for hours. It seems to the elf couple as if they want to savor every bite for as long as possible.

Without a word, they eat all the sandwiches and drink water with them, not touching the wine. After they're full, the woman offers them a place to sleep on the large Kang in the living room for a few hours. The hunters certainly won't be here before dawn, and until then, they can make themselves comfortable here. Where would the three of them escape to?

This doesn't quite suit her husband's wishes; he would have preferred to have her put in the beet cellar. It's dark and cold there, but the hole can be closed with a lid made of thick wooden planks, and he could have gone to sleep. Now he and three other men from the neighborhood take turns keeping watch at the kitchen door throughout the night. There's no way out through the windows; the shutters are locked with bolts from the outside.

As the first bright glimmer appears in the morning sky, one of the elves on watch awakens the three strangers. They had been sleeping like logs; they lay down, threw a blanket over themselves, and were gone. Their exhaustion was greater than their fear of the hunters, and so they slumbered peacefully with full stomachs.

The housewife quickly prepares them breakfast, because time is running out; the hunters could arrive at any moment and then the peace would be over.

They have just emptied their bowls of cereal porridge when there is a knock at the large front door and just a moment later, boots clatter on the floorboards of the hallway and a hunter and huntress enters the eat-in kitchen.

Although the three visitors have never seen hunters before, their weapons and uniforms leave no doubt as to their task. They've come to pick them up and take them to the dungeon.

The hunters spare themselves a long speech explaining their presence and what comes next.

"So there we have the drifters. Please stand up and come with me," they command them harshly. Theman and the youth immediately rise from their chairs, but the elven maiden hesitates. When the man reaches for her, she jumps up abruptly and, faster than anyone can blink, crawls under the kitchen bench, completely terrified. Trembling with fear, she curls up beneath it in the farthest corner. Before the man can get to his knees and grab her, the lady of the house intervenes.

"Good hunters, let me try. You see, she's almost dying of fear of you. You're making her heart tremble with terror. Or do you think she's doing this for her own pleasure, hiding from you?"

The elf bends down and slides under the table. She tries to persuade the girl to leave her lair with kind words, but the only response is a vigorous shake of the head. Only after the men have left the kitchen, including the master of the house, do the elf and the huntress manage to rescue the adolescent from her hole. Still filled with fear, she walks outside, holding her kind hostess's hand, but shies away from the huntress. She doesn't trust her an inch.

All her desperate gestures—she clings to the good woman's arm with her thin fingers—are of no use. She is bundled into the wagon with her two companions, who are already sitting on the bench with chains on their hands and feet. Finally, the huntress jumps in and closes the wagon door behind her. Off they go, the horses pull, and at a brisk trot they roll toward the garrison in the town of Breleborn.

During the journey, the huntress takes a closer look at the pitiful creatures sitting across from her—you can hardly call them anything else—and the thought of them being in a cell makes her uncomfortable. Thin, tired, silent, they don't even exchange a word with each other, and the poor health of the three delinquents is immediately apparent. She feels sorry for them, especially the young one; she didn't even have the heart to put on her shoes when she boarded. How could such a puny little thing escape? It was thanks to her intercession that when they reached the garrison that morning, they were spared from being taken to prison, and they ended up in the local hospital.

As soon as they arrive, the questioning begins, and that very day, one by one, they are brought before a four-person committee and questioned in great detail. Their names, their families, where they come from, their ages, and, above all, why they went out on a thieving spree that night.

With fear in their eyes and slightly cowering, each of the three walks between the two hunters escorting them to the interrogation room. Who knows, perhaps these elves are in league with the lizards they fled from? After all, they all wear those magical stones around their necks, and they're proud and strong, too. Should they spill the beans or keep quiet? A good question, and their fate could depend on the answer.

Unfortunately, they go for the weakest link in the chain first, the young elf, and she's bound to start chattering right away. A quick "boo" and a fist bang on the table is enough to intimidate her, or they loosen her tongue with treats and juicy roasts.

The conclusion of the intense reflection of the two men, who remain somewhat perplexed in their sickroom after the younger thief's sister has been taken away, is: we'll come clean. It'll all work out. This is a different, a better world.

Their suspicions about the chatterbox are correct, by the way. A lunch of buttered potatoes and a chicken leg melts away all fear and caution, and while she eats, she recounts the entire story. The hows and wherefores—she's too exhausted to even keep a single word to herself. Her strength is gone; shecan just keep talking and talking, and she can see from the faces of her listeners that this is the right path.

Disbelief, horror, and disbelief at the story that reaches her ears. The reporter pauses two or three times in her writing and wipes a tear from her cheek because the words hurt her heart. These unfortunate creatures have escaped a nightmare consisting of constant hunger, hard labor, imprisonment, the separation of men and women, the loss of their culture and way of life. Their entire people, their identity, everything that defines them as elves, has simply been wiped out.

All three recount the same events, the same facts, and the same course of their escape, with no discernible discrepancies. As proof of the truth of what he says, the elf places one of the Siberyls on the table. He trusts the hunters and reveals their whereabouts, where three other people, including his companion, are also located. After arriving on Pelegorn, they found refuge in a forested area with rocks and caves jutting out of the ground, and from there they set out to gather food.

The following morning, very early before sunrise, a group of hunters, accompanied by a wagon, rides into the area described by the strangers to round up the remaining thieves. They find the caves in the slopes of the wooded hills and the old basalt vents of long-extinct volcanoes right away, as they know the area like the backs of their hands.

They quietly push their way through the undergrowth, every bush and every tree offering them welcome cover. Even if they are weak creatures that need to be captured, caution is always advised.

After just a few meters, they realize that their sneaking around is unnecessary; they could have entered the rock passage with the sound of a trumpet.

They pick up the first candidate just around the second bend in the cave. He's the friend of the man already in custody. Two days ago, he was bitten in the calf by a snake—not fatally, but painfully—and his lower leg is paralyzed. This meant that running far and fast was impossible for him. It took them a little longer to track down the other two. The missing man and woman had hidden somewhere in the underground passages. "Put, put, come out, you two. We know you're in here," one of the hunters calls as he moves forward into the darkness ahead. Confident of his superiority, he carelessly looks only ahead and suddenly the man they're looking for is behind him. He hears only the crunch of gravel at his back, turns around, and whoosh, a knife is stuck in his upper arm.

The hunter stands there, wide-eyed, completely caught, completely perplexed. He wasn't expecting this. He stares at the man, and the man at him, but it's his own fault if he's too stupid to shine his light into the stone chambers to the left and right. The two stand rooted to the spot, facing each other, neither moving. At the same moment, his comrades come around the corner and overpower the attacker. Although, "overpower" is an exaggeration, because he lets his hands be tied behind his back without resistance, as if all his strength had gone into the knife attack.

Meanwhile, another group of hunters finds the second woman. In a panic, she had squeezed herself into a small niche in the rock to avoid being seen. They carefully help her out and are astonished to see that the female elf is pregnant.

The huntresses who had ridden with them immediately rush forward, chase the men away with words, and surround them. Compassion lies in the gentle touch of their hands as they caress the woman's arm. Such a thin elf, how will the child feed? And none of the hunters dare disturb this circle.They would only risk being counted out by their own wives. They don't take it lightly; a pregnant woman is under the protection of Inana and the women around her.

The three prisoners are quickly loaded into the coach and headed towards the hospital, where their comrades are already waiting for them.

The doctor in charge of her care, as well as the nurses and paramedics, have never seen such pathetic figures in their lives, and everyone is trying hard to help her with words and gestures.

In the medical records compiled for them, in addition to several letters from the doctors about their general physical and mental condition, there are also ink drawings of the six refugees. Images whose mere sight makes you shake your head. Tired faces, sad eyes, the men bare-chested, the girl and the woman dressed in a laced bodice, and you can count the ribs of all of them.

The social behavior of the refugees is particularly striking to the elves who have dealings with them.

They are taciturn, almost mute in fact. They rarely speak of their own accord and respond to questions or conversations with few words. They only pick up anything, or eat or drink, after a friendly invitation. It is as if acting independently is something completely new to them, and they only act on their own when it seems unavoidable. They rarely ask the hospital staff questions, and when they do, they are of a general nature relating to the premises or the daily routine. When is something? How does it work? Where is something? Mealtimes, how to use the hot water heater, the way to the garden or the library.

What kind of strange creatures are these who seem to lack any motivation for conversation, interaction, activity, or even life-sustaining activities such as eating?

The doctors promptly decide to consult a spiritual healer, and she immediately accepts the request to work with them. Such strange cases, and six of them, naturally immediately pique her medical interest and pose a challenge to her skills. Let's see what's going on behind their backs, and above all, why, and how one can help such twisted souls.

Over the next few days, she observes the new arrivals from a distance for a while, thinking it advisable to do so before attempting to talk to them. It's astonishing what she learns just by looking and listening, and she records every detail in her notes. They exhibit truly strange behavior. Never before has she dealt with patients who respond almost exclusively to external stimuli, to being spoken to and asked. The siblings are a small exception; they proceed a little more boldly and walk along more confidently. Curiously, they touch unfamiliar objects, ask questions about their use or benefit, and even take the initiative to fetch books with lots of pictures from the library. Perhaps their youth, their still-unspent energy, their desire to learn new things, and their hope for a better life than they have had so far will help them gain a foothold in the new world more quickly.

One thing definitely drives the two out of their shells, and that's their constantly growling stomachs. The boy and girl eat and eat; even the pregnant woman can't eat that much. They take seconds at every meal, and in between, fruit and pastries make their way from the bowls always on a shelf into their beaks.

For the first half dekare, they are inseparable. All six of them sit and lie together from morning to night on a Kang in the common room, where patients can meet their visitors. Like nestlings, unfledgedbirds, curled up between blankets and pillows, they linger there, only rising for meals, to use the toilet, or to go to their rooms. They spend hours huddled together like this, whispering quietly to one another and nodding off again and again. Their short hair contributes greatly to this image; everyone who sees them involuntarily thinks of fledgling birds in downy plumage.

This is very interesting behavior in the eyes of the spiritual healer. Perhaps they believe their small group offers them protection from perceived attackers. A reason she can only guess at, however, because none of them explains this behavior to her in a later conversation, and she doesn't want to openly ask why.

The strangers pose several puzzles for her, especially since they are very reluctant to accept the help she offers them, and her first attempts at a longer conversation with them end in silence after a few sentences. It seems they have little use for her care and interest in their inner lives. Physically, they are in a desolate state and tire easily, and they also seem somehow mentally retarded and empty. They aren't stupid, but they lack the flash of inspiration, the mental will to do something and take their fate into their own hands. They know full well that they are in no danger here.

Nevertheless, at loud words or certain gestures, they continue to flinch, shrink back, and retreat abruptly in shock. They move around on tiptoe, observing their surroundings. However, they almost never touch anything with their hands, except for the two younger elves, and you have to listen very carefully when they do open their mouths because they speak so quietly.

After a few days, their behavior changes, as if they had woken up, and now they observe the people around them. What they do, how they speak, their movements, their facial expressions.What purpose does this serve? The psychologist receives the answer shortly afterwards. She notices that the four adults begin to imitate all their actions and facial expressions. Extremely remarkable: they are learning, they want to adapt, they don't want to be oddballs, but rather do everything they can to quickly become invisible in the presence of the local residents. Very interesting: for the first time in her long professional career, she has observed such a strategy, presumably for survival, in action. She would hardly have expected such an approach from them. They are actually seeking protection for themselves as individuals by merging with their surroundings. Those who dance neatly in line escape the sharp eye of the masters, are safe from punishment, and also live longer.

Little by little, the spiritual healer begins to understand her patients' initially unusual behavior, and now she can even speak to them without them flinching in fear every time. Although they still look questioningly at her from time to time, because she's talking to them, they no longer dive for cover.

In addition to the wealth of information, the healer notes another sentence in her treatment book, because she finds this fact worth mentioning: "Considering what they experienced and what they have done in their past, it is quite normal and was to be expected that all six refugees have only rudimentary knowledge of reading, writing, and arithmetic."

While the vagrants spend two dekare in the hospital, where they are nursed back to health and where they are repeatedly questioned about their escape and the country, as some detail might have been forgotten, and they also serve as objects of study, the hunters initiate criminal proceedings against them in court.

Neither their physical nor mental state nor their history has any bearing on this, and thus they are accused of various misdeeds: vandalism (breaking downa shed door), theft (apples, chickens, and hams), prowling (hiding in a cave in the forest), unauthorized border crossing (they ended up in Varngond by chance), deliberate knife attack on a hunter (we're talking about a butter knife, and the man wanted to protect his pregnant wife), misuse of a Siberyl that didn't belong to them (opening a gate without the High Council's permission, although they were subsequently unable to pinpoint the exact location of the gate).

A point that should make a wise man think very carefully about the veracity of the story. Who are they telling this to? They stumbled through the forest for four days, ruthless and without reason? That's the kind of thing anyone who wants to cover up some kind of atrocities babbles about. It's all pure invention, further reinforced by the fact that no suitable gate is marked on the maps in the garrison library.

With so many charges, there will definitely be a trial. Where would we be if all this went unpunished? That will happen in no time; everything is clear and obvious, and thus the court will not waste much time on them and a two-hundred-percent investigation of the case. They are simply thieves from their own people, and they should be taken out of circulation and put in prison for a while. That's it. Where they actually come from, and whether their story of the strange world and the gate that has been closed for thousands of years is true, incidentally, may also be an open question. Some individuals excel at inventing stories to make themselves look better, and an investigation has so far been deemed unnecessary. It wouldn't change the facts with which they are accused.

The garrison's huntsman refrains from notifying the royal family. Why should he bother? The people are clearly elves, and he doesn't want to saddle himself with additional paperwork. It doesn't matter what kind of hole they came from. If they were strange creatures or dangerous immigrants, that would be a different matter; an express courier would have been on their way long ago.

At the hospital, however, the spiritual healer disagrees and writes a detailed letter describing all her impressions and what she saw and heard from the strangers with her own eyes and ears. She believes her words, and the mere fact that they entered through a gate is important enough to her to report it.

Every new gate that appears anywhere must be immediately reported to the kings. It is up to them to decide whether swift action—finding the gate, closing the gate—is necessary, or whether the matter can be left alone.

However, after an urgent case, Tharandil and Nimrond, after reviewing all known details and assisted by a magician, consult the maps depicting the gates, do not see this as a possibility. This door is marked on an old map as having been inactive since time immemorial, and on a more recent drawing, it no longer appears at all. Therefore, it seems to be merely a minor matter. Perhaps it was simply half a dozen stray wanderers who entered a gate without permission somewhere thousands of years ago, wandered around some world more or less haphazardly, and by chance found their way back to Pelegorn. That would also explain their appearance and confusion. They've certainly been through some mind-boggling things. Therefore, it's enough for them to send two experienced fox-hunters there. Thelekos and Solona are to take care of the matter in Breleborn.

In the court of the elves

The strange newcomers to Varngond, reported by the spirit healer in the letter, arouse the curiosity of King Tharandil and Deputy King Nimrond. However, they believe that a direct threat to their land, such as an invasion of any armies or monsters through the gate, is currently out of the question. It seems perfectly sufficient for them to have two skilled fox-hunters, Solona and Thelekos, deal with the matter first.

What's causing them a bit more concern are the healer's statements about the prisoners' origins. They are clearly brothers and sisters of their own kind, but are they actually inhabitants of an alien world or merely former Pelegorners who wandered away ages ago?

If there were a sphere in which a previously unknown branch of their people lived, that would be a sensation. However, if they actually had to escape from it, and if their pursuers discovered their escape tunnel, then the probability of being pursued by the lizards all the way to Varngond would be very high. Perhaps they should prepare for this, at least theoretically, and put some of their troops on alert.

Oh yes, and of course, they can't tolerate the way they're being treated right now, being dragged before a judge in a heartbeat. In the "House of Trees," things are decent, fair, and solid, especially when it comes to due process. What else would they think of their new home? Just as shitty as the one they just ran away from?

You can tell that these two are speaking from experience. A thorough presentation of evidence and the examination of all possible witnesses should take precedence over a hasty verdict.

Thelekos and Solona are delighted with the assignment. It's about time they were entrusted with something interesting. They already missed the Jamena thing because they were busy keeping the throne warm, and as a small compensation, Tharandil authorizes their son, withletter and seal, to act and speak in the name of the kings of the "House of Trees." Thelekos is half a head taller with pride because Tharandil trusts him to speak his mind on an important matter.

With the power of attorney in hand, the two quickly head to Breleborn. There's no time to waste, because charges have already been filed and a trial date has likely already been set.

Despite all the haste, almost an entire lumnos has passed since the six elves were arrested when Thelekos and Solona arrive in the village. Meanwhile, the four men have been transferred to a prison, the day of their trial is imminent, and the woman and girl are still under observation in the hospital.

As Thelekos feared, the trial has already begun, and the evidence gathering with the statements of the aggrieved farmers and villagers has just concluded. Now the facts must be assessed by the judges, and the perpetrators will be publicly heard, after which the verdict will be announced. At least someone thought about providing the offenders with a defense attorney to ensure everything goes smoothly. However, the attorney is having a hard time putting together a viable strategy. His candidates have confessed, which could have a mitigating effect on their sentences, but defending themselves against the prosecution will be difficult. They have no good character; no one can speak on their behalf in court and demonstrate that, apart from this small, necessary procurement of food, they are otherwise honorable and good citizens of the country. They are alone. Without family or social connections, friends, acquaintances, or background. What should he base his words on?

Thelekos and Solona thus find themselves in the middle of the proceedings and have little time to gather the necessary information.

Just arriving, the bailiff and the hunters involved in the case aresummoned to The Lekos to give them a detailed account of what has happened so far. Unfortunately, the spiritual healer can't spare time for a consultation that day, but Solona is chasing her.

The next day, Thelekos insists on visiting the prisoners to get a firsthand impression of the situation and what's happening. He wants a personal confrontation, because he trusts his own eyes and ears the most. Who knows what has already been distorted?

So he can talk to them in peace, Thelekos has a room in the prison assigned to him, where the group is to be taken. He wants everyone there at once, and he wants to be alone with them. He simply sends the guards out; they can stay outside the door. Frowning, they follow his orders. Well, if he doesn't overdo it? He's still an inexperienced youth, and if anything happens to the prince, they'll have to pay the price.

The young prince ignores the hunters' meaningful expressions. He certainly has nothing to fear from the sad figures who are about to appear. What could they possibly do to him?

Based on the letter from the hospital, he can reasonably imagine the pitiful condition the refugees are in. And now, seeing them in person, although somewhat better fed, he wonders how they managed to live in the woods for so many days without starving.

Once again, they stand there like statues; they've been questioned countless times. Why again? At some point, everyone who's interrogated them must be able to recite their words by heart. This time, however, the situation seems a little different. Only one person wants something from them, and it's a young man who politely introduces himself.

"I greet you in the name of Morojo and Inana. My name is Thelekos, and I am the son of King Tharandil and Deputy King Nimrond. My fathers sent me here because they want a clear picture of what's happening here, and I'm to tell them about you and your journey. I've also been tasked with assisting you in court. We receiveda letter from the hospital in which a doctor briefly described how you were found here and where you came from. One thing right up front: we don't have much time to chat, so I'll get straight to the most important issue: the charges against you. As far as I can judge, you've committed a criminal offense. Which seems beyond question based on the witnesses' accounts. I myself would like to hear more about this before anyone passes judgment. No one steals food on Pelegorn out of boredom; they have to have a very compelling reason."

The four men and two women look around in astonishment, from one to the other and also at Thelekos. A king's son is busy with them. What on earth have they done to attract a high-ranking person? This is precisely what they wanted to avoid. Simply make themselves invisible, simply remain inconspicuous, and now they have a prince sitting before them. Although they can't quite assess his position in all this, is his presence good or bad? And how do you address a scion of the royal family? What should they say to him? Rather than say something wrong, they simply limit themselves to a polite greeting in the manner of the elves of Pelegorn. They've already learned that well.

Thelekos is still shocked by the appearance of the elves. Although they've gained a bit more weight these days, their eyes are still dull, and they bow their heads whenever someone speaks to them. It's unusual for him to see someone turn their face away during a conversation, so this will probably be more of a question-and-answer game than a pleasant conversation. Let's start by briefly summarizing the current situation.

"As far as I can tell, you're all in a pretty tight spot. The court proceedings have already begun and are moving quickly. I doubt I can exert any influence on this, perhaps even request a time off. My father might be able to do that, and for that, I need all the details from you personally so I can tell him in detail what's happening here. Please tell me in your own words about the escape and the circumstances that led to it, even though you've probably done so five times now. And please, don't let me drag every little detail out of you, just say what you think and what's happened since your arrival here in Varngond," Thelekos explains what he wants from them.

Thelekos and Solona were able to examine what was written on paper for themselves that morning, but reading an interrogation transcript and hearing a story from the mouth of the person concerned are two different things for them.

Indeed, from Thelekos's perspective, there are inconsistencies, only minor ones, but they are there, and so far, apparently, no one has been interested in clarifying them. It does make a difference to the verdict whether an attack is carried out of pure calculation and murderous intent or out of sheer desperation, as happened with the man in the cave.

In passing, one of the petitioners mentions that they had signed a document presented to them by the court a few days ago. According to the elf who delivered the document, it was a text listing their crimes.

Their poor writing skills and their excitement meant they could barely read the words and thus didn't understand much of the content at all. But they all signed. The fear that things could get even worse drove them on. They couldn't tell Thelekos what kind of document they were actually signing their names on or what it was for. No one thought it necessary to explain the wording to them in an understandable way or the consequences of signing. Neither the prosecutor nor the defense attorney explained the terms and words that were unfamiliar to them. Thelekos swallowed audibly.What kind of methods are these? The way this is going about things makes his hair stand on end.

Extremely upset by this fact, Thelekos and Solona had the aforementioned letter brought to them that same day, and after reading it themselves, they were beside themselves with rage.

The six prisoners signed guilty pleas for theft, vagrancy, and assaulting a hunter with a sharp object. Even the girl signed a confession in her scrawling handwriting. How can they think she's already an adult? Yet, her face clearly shows how young she is and therefore still a minor. According to Pelegorn's laws, she can't sign anything. Her guilty plea is completely invalid. A guardian who speaks and acts on her behalf should have been appointed.