"What are you doing Syv?" Althidon Valthyra whispered in a hushed toned.
They were standing in Syvis' room. It was still midnight and so they had to make sure to be quiet as not to alert her parents.
"I'm getting ready to leave. Is it not obvious?" Syvis responded while rummaging through her drawers, putting various magical herbs and items into her pouch.
"This will come in handy too," Syvis added, grabbing a hunting knife. A gift she got a few years back from her mother. This knife was no ordinary knife. It was made out of the dragon tooth.
"Leaving? Where will you go? Are you seriously saying you're going to leave Shirewood?" Althidon mumbled, his eyes wide.
"Yes, that's the plan," Syv responded, surveying her room for anything more of use.
"Ah almost forgot. My quiver," she said, raising her finger in the air. Quickly grabbing her brown leather quiver. A special made one, with a place to carry a bow along with tons of arrows.
After combing through the various magical arrows in the quiver Syvis nodded.
"That's... That's insane. You cant leave. It is not safe outside," Althidon spoke up after taking in the situation.
Syvis turned back, staring right into her friend's eyes. She stepped towards him.
"And what do you suggest? That we sit around as the world collapses. If something happens to the rest of Acoptia then it will come for us too. Pretending it doesn't exist doesn't solve the problem Alt. You know that," Syvis said every word with fire in her heart. Standing in front of Althidon she placed her hand on his cheek.
"I will be okay. I am not asking you to come with me, but I will need your assistance. So as a last favour for a friend, I ask - Will, you help me leave Alt, please?" Syv now spoke softly staring into Althidon's eyes.
"B-But... What about everyone else? Are you willing to leave it all behind? W-What will you even do out there? We don't know what's happening. No one does..." Althidon struggled to find words.
"I must do this for me. I want to see the world. Even if we don't know what the cause of all of this. I still want to be there on the front lines. So then at least I know I tried to make a change," she responded sighing, taking her hand off Alt's cheek.
"So will you please help me? All I ask for is a horse," Syvis pleaded. Horses were a rarity in the Elven kingdom since travelling was very limited. Usually only the rich owned steeds.
"I-I don't know-. Fine, I'll give you a horse," Althidon finally gave in, shaking his head.
"Thank you Althidon, I truly appreciate this," she smiled warmly, hugging him tightly.
"You smell like roses," Syvis laughed, letting go of the hug.
"Hey!" he retorted, blushing.
"Let's go now Alt. I don't want to waste any more time. While I still have night left, I have to act," Syvis said, placing a note on her table before jumping out of the window.
Althidon followed her lead and so the two friends made their way towards the royal stable.
The Elven kingdom is split into four districts of the forest. They were made to group areas in terms of the「Barrier of Shirewood」effectiveness.
The four districts are:
#1 Outer Circle - rarely inhabited by the elves. The outer circle is closest to the edge of the woods.
#2 The Safe Circle - an area a little ways from the edge. This is where the impoverished elves live. They mainly get by hunting and gathering the goods from the forest.
#3 The Inner Circle - the largest district, closest to the core of the kingdom and the forest. Most well-off and status elves live here along with a few higher-standing elves. Known for the elf merchants, who get imported wares, sell here.
#4 The Core - a domain where the castle and the Barrier of Shirewood reside. All the highest-ranking elves live here. Including the king and his family.
The Elandorrs lived in the Inner Circle ever since her father got the job as the advisor of the Elf King Varlon Valthyra. Prior to that, they used to live in the Safe Circle. This is where Syvis learned the art of hunting and archery. Her mother was the teacher as she too had spent her years' hunting and was well versed in archery.
The walk was silent as they avoided the silent streets of the sleeping kingdom. Keeping to dark alleyways they slowly crept towards the castle walls.
"Guards. Get down," Althidon whispered snatching Syvis into a bush.
Two guards stood in front of the gates of the castle. One of them looked to be sleeping, leaning against the wall of the fence. While the other was staring into the distance.
Syvis grabbed a rock from the ground and smiled.
"We need to distract them right?" she muttered with a smile on her face and a mischievous look in her eyes.
"Be careful Syv," He looked at her slightly worried.
"You should know Alt. I don't miss," Syv responded confidently, chucking the stone. The stone flew before finally hitting a lantern behind the two guards. Shattering loudly it dropped to the ground.
"What in the-" the guard shouted jumping back. Before shaking his sleeping friend awake.
"Wake up! Something happened, the lantern is broken. The fire might spread!" he ran off towards the small flame on the ground, followed by his groggy companion.
"Now is our chance!" Syvis jumped out of the bush running past the open gate. Althidon was not far removed from her. Slipping past the giant gate, they now stood inside the castle grounds.
"Whew. That went better than expected," Althidon let out, wiping his brow.
"Hm? It went just as expected. I think you should learn not to doubt me Alt," Syv responded with a chuckle.
"Let's go Alt, the night is running out."
"Okay, the stables are just around the corner," he said, regaining his composure. Before leading Syvis into a building next to the castle. One of the many that stood beside the fortress.
Opening the giant doors slowly, they slid into the building. The smell of a stable was unmistakable. Looking around at the many steeds that were housed here, Syvis smiled. She walked around petting every horse, before stopping in front of a white horse.
"What's her name?" She put her hand on the snout of the horse.
"Uh, I think it's Fey." he scratched the back of his head.
"Fey? That's a beautiful name for a beautiful horse," Syvis smirked, petting the horse.
"May I have her?"
"I guess so..." Althidon's voice was full of uncertainty, he was torn. He wanted to stop Syvis, but at the same time, the flame in her eyes made it obvious that this is something she needed to do.
"Listen, Syv. Are you sure about all of this?"
"Yes and no. I'm scared but I will be driven insane if I don't act," she smiled at the ground.
"There's no going back, if you leave you will be branded as a deserter. They won't ever accept you back!" Althidon pleaded.
"I know Alt. Yet I'm willing to throw it all away, so I can finally feel free. It's like a calling. It chips at my mind every day," she spoke, looking into his eyes.
"I'm sure you won't understand and I'm not asking you to. You already did a lot for me, thank you Alt."
"But..." Althidon spoke, his eyes tearing up.
Syvis walked up to him, slowly leaning in.
"You... We just reconnected, I don't want to lose you yet agai-" his speech was cut short as she leaned in kissing him on the cheek.
"Thank you Alt and I'm sorry, but I have to do this," she said with a sad look in her eyes as she threw a powder substance at Alt's face. Dreambloom, a flower that grows in a forest. When crushed up it can be used as a powerful sleeping aid. Making anyone fall asleep within seconds if inhaled.
"Syv..." Althidon muttered, falling over.
"I'm sorry Alt, but this will buy me time. Thank you, again." Syvis ran and jumped on Fey, before riding out of the castle grounds into the night.
...
A splash of cold water hit Althidon's face. Jumping up, the elf frantically looked around. The sun was shining through the windows, it was early morning.
"Syv! Syv?" he spoke still shocked and confused.
"Syv? No, idiot." a deep familiar voice responded.
"Brother? What are you doing here, what happened?" Alt rubbed his eyes, regaining his thoughts. The last thing he could remember was Syvis kissing him on the cheek before it all went to black.
"Me? I think that's my question. You are laying in the middle of a stable, sleeping. Unfitting of royalty," his brother chuckled. Nozar Valthyra - the eldest son of Elf King Varlon Valthyra, making him the crown prince.
Nozar took more from his father than Althidon. Much like Varlon, Nozar was always serious and brooding. Even his frame matched his serious personality. Broad shoulders and muscle in every part of his body, standing a head taller than his younger brother. His sharp square jawline and almond-shaped lavender eyes further matched his menacing attitude.
His longsword was sheathed on his hip, he held his leather water bottle, sipping slowly as he looked down on his brother.
"You are in quite the trouble might I add brother," Nozar asserted, with a smirk.
"For what?" Althidon mumbled, getting up still discombobulated.
"For the strange happenings last night," Nozar responded.
"We should go see father now Alt," he added, signalling for Althidon to go.
"Fine, so be it." Alt answered back.