Toame spent the evening in the garden trying to envision the flood of color that once graced the area. He walked through the garden touching each rose separately wishing he could entice them to bloom. He understood the sorrow they must have felt for Bayla. She must have been a lovely lady. His thoughts returned to Lily. She may have been raised a farmer but she carried herself with dignity and respect equal to any royal he could study. She was more elegant in character and demeanor then his own mother.
The thought of his mother made him shiver. She was cold and hard, unlike any other elf. She didn't look like any of the elves who lived in the forest either. She was short, heavy and blonde. All the elves he had met in his life had been tall and slender with ebony hair, like his father. She seemed to be angry all the time. His father had assumed the throne upon Bayla's death and then married his mother shortly afterwards. Toame had been born their first year of marriage. His father became too ill to rule when Toame was about three, though he still lives. Elvish law would not allow her to assume the throne at his death as she is not of royal blood. The throne would go to Toame regardless of his age. As long as his father was alive she could reign in his stead.
Even in Toame's ignorance, he believed her to be an evil ruler, though he dare not let her know that. He feared his mother for he could not be sure of her capabilities. Several elves that had risen against her mysteriously vanished or turned up dead. She had some of her servants suffer a traitor's death for minor offenses. She was ruthless and cruel. He believed she was the one responsible for his father's illness as well as the one who keeps him alive. He feared what she may do to him when he became king. He hated her, but feared her more. The sun was beginning to set behind the mountains so he thought he'd better get back before his mother sent a search party for him.
"It's about time you got home," his mother snapped as he walked into the foyer. "What has been taking so long?"
"I went out for a hunt. I covered a lot of ground but found no quarry." He tried to sound disappointed.
"I'm sorry to hear of your rotten luck. I have some good news though." She flashed him a smile of glee. "The old elf has finally made is presence here worth putting up with."
"Oh? How so?"
"He found a loophole in the ancient law that will allow me to remove all of these old portraits." She gleamed with pride. "They are all coming down."
"What?!?" He was horrified at the announcement. "Why would you want to do that? These portraits are a part of who we are." He whirled around her looking at the portraits with respect and honor.
"They're pictures of dead elves." She stated flatly. "And I grow tired of your infatuation with them. I need you to focus on the here and now."
"My focus is here." He allowed her to see his anger.
"No, silly boy, it isn't," she mused. "You've had your head in the clouds with that… that… what's her name?"
"Queen Bayla."
"Yes, that Bayla." She grimaced at the sound of her name. "I don't need my son spending his time falling in love with dead elves when there are plenty of beautiful girls here that breathe air."
"I am not in love with her." he assured. "How can you destroy all of this history?"
"Oh relax, boy. I cannot destroy them; I can only remove them from the palace walls."
"I don't understand."
"The ancient law states that these portraits are to be preserved for all time. No where in that law does it state they have to hang on these walls." She smiled a victorious smile.
Relief flooded Toame's mind at the news. He could bear looking at bare walls knowing the portraits would still be safe. "Where will you hang them, then?" he questioned.
"Nowhere. I will put them in a storage barn and assign some moron to keep them clean. You needn't worry about it though. You will have other things to keep you busy, like your studies. Your father has not been well for some time and I fear you will be king sooner than you are ready if do not focus more on your studies."
"Yes mother. I will attend to my lessons." He turned to go to his room for the night when she added more bad news to his already sorrowful heart.
"The old one will no longer tutor you, my dear son."
He spun around to face her. "Why not? Has he committed a great wrong to me?"
"He has failed you. He has failed to teach the law accurately and therefore will not be allowed to teach you any further. We cannot afford to have an ignorant king, now can we?"
"I suppose not. Who must I learn from now?"
"You'll meet her in the morning. Go to bed now, I'm tired."
"Yes, mother. Good night." He left her in the hallway and padded off to his room being careful to walk by Bayla's portrait one last time. "I will find a way to set you free my dear Bayla. If it takes my life to do so, I shall set you free." He ran his fingers along her cheek line. He could almost feel her tears. His mother had become the enemy. How could he defeat her? Especially now that he was no longer tutored by his trusted friend. How would be able to learn what he needed to know of Bayla and the glory of the elves? He collapsed into bed under the weight of his despair.