The Elfish King

chapter 7

"Hey wait.....I think ... I think I will sign the contract" I yelled.

He stopped in his tracks I can feel his smirks. He turns his head looking straight into my eyes like he wanted this to happen.

"I knew you would make the right choice," Kevon said smiling.

He heads back to me and sat in the chair that was cleaned by kin his servant. He laid the contract in front of me.

"Here you go," Kevon said sliding on the table toward me and handing me a pen.

I took the pen, looking at the contract. I looked up and saw Lira's face in shock. Her face was telling me to do want is best for the kingdom. I glared over at Scarla and she gave me a look like a warning to not sign the contract. Which made me think about my mom and what she would do in this situation. I still had no idea why she was kidn*pped or why Kevon only knew of it. I pushed down my thoughts to sign, then I paused.

"Will my mom be let go safely and unharmed?" I asked.

"Of course it would only be fair," Kevon said.

I sighed and nodded and continued to sign the contract.

"Shyne no!! don't sign it !! It is a trick!!"Scarla yelled.

I looked over at her.

"Why should I trust what you're saying?" I asked.

"Cause I know Kevon and I know that he plays tricks on people to get what he wants," Scarla said.

"Well I wish I could trust you but you showed me every sign of being a trader," I said strongly.

"Look, I'm sorry for keeping things from you but you got to understand that I didn't mean it. Before I met you I didn't have much of a choice but now when seeing you have a chance of changing how the kingdom worked I changed my mind. So please Shyne, don't sign the contract," Scarla said a bit emotionally.

I looked toward the contract then I looked up at Kevon trying to keep a smile.

 "I won't sign the contract, I will just find my mom some other way," I said putting the pen down.

Kevon's smile disappeared, he rolled his eyes.

"Well I guess being nice is not my specialty," Kevon said. He sighed then he put the contract away.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You see Shyne," he said putting on black leather gloves, "I was the one who kidn*pped your mother, I had a feeling you wouldn't want to give up the throne. She is safe for now but I guess not anymore. Ha, you brought this on to yourself Shyne. Only if you would have just signed the contract wouldn't have soo much of a mess to clean up. Kin, lock the doors and close the blinds." he said.

I was starting to get confused. I looked over at Lira hoping she would have some idea of what was going on. Then I looked at Scarla she seemed as calm as ever.

"What is going on?" Lira said.

"How dare you kidnap my mother," I said getting angry.

"Don't worry about it  Lira you won’t feel a thing," Kevon said smiling and started to pull out a sword. He raised it coming toward me.

"What....what are you doing?" I said backing up.

"Well isn't it obvious, I'm going to kill all of you since you don't want to listen and sign the contract," Kevon said cheerfully.

"Stop Kevon, this...this is madness, murdering someone innocent is crazy," Scarla said.

"Says the one who had killed more than I can count," Kevon said.

Kevon headed for me first he started swinging the sword with great technique. I kept dodging it as much as possible. Kevon starts to swing it at me but crashes into everything, breaking things in the house. I was trying to find something to fight back with. Suddenly I saw one of my brother's old swords. I picked it up and start swinging back at Kevon. I tried to cut him so he would stop but he was too fast for me. I glared at Lira frozen in fear.

"Kin, go get the girl maybe that will teach Shyne to stay out of my way," Kevon said trying to stab me.

At that moment I saw Scarla open her book of spells.

"My name is Scarla and you will not hurt these people anymore," Scarla said with a strong voice.

"Oh come on Scarla, can't you let me have my fun?"Kevon asked, laughing.

Scarla took off her sunglasses, at that instant, I could see her eyes for the first time. They were pure white and black. They didn't look normal at first because I haven't seen someone with those kinds of eyes. She started mumbling words I didn't understand as she waved her hands in the air. Kin was trying to go after Lira but Lira was dodging his grasp when she was running around the house. Soon after I saw a light shine. It looked like a portal of some sort.

"Shyne come through the portal...I...I can't hold it open for too long," she said yelling.

I started to head toward the portal suddenly, Kevon stabbed me in my arm. Blood gushed out I tried to hold myself together long enough to stab him. When I gathered up a little bit of strength I stabbed him in his leg when his guard was down. I dashed toward the portal. I looked back and saw Lira being put in cuffs and being held down by the servant Kin.

"Lira!!,"I yelled reaching out to her through the portal

"Go!! leave me!! I will be okay!!" Lira said crying.

"Come back here you little-" Kevon started to say in anger.

At that point, I and Scarla were through the portal. I saw Scarla fall to the ground a few moments after the portal closed. I fell to my knees in shock and pain from the stab. I started to cry in my hand, soon after I looked up at Scarla seeing her not move. I gathered up some of my strength, holding my wound, and walked over to her holding back my tears.

"Hey......wake up.." I said shaking her." wake up..." I said tearing up a little.

"Ugh...I'm.." Scarla said softly.

I stopped shaking her and took a deep breath to stop crying.

"Just...rest.....I...I will find us shelter or some help so we can get back home," I said sadly.

"Ugh..." Scarla muttered.

I tried looking around for a village for us to get a place to sleep but I didn't notice any near villages because we were in a field of grass on a mountain top, looking out for miles all I could see was more fields of grass. So I looked for the closes forest so I can make camp for me and Scarla. I start to head into this forest that wasn't a far walk. I headed in with Scarla on my shoulder unconscious. When I found a spot with a small stream next to it I thought that was the best place to make a camp. I sat Scarla down in the grass and started to make the fire.

"Hey, Scarla, I know it is a bit late but why did you teleport us outside of town where there are only fields of grass?" I asked.

Scarla didn't respond, which I figured since she was completely unconscious. I tried to make her as comfortable as possible in the forest laying her as close to the fire as I could and laid her head on a rock. When my stomach growled, that's when I realized I didn't eat anything. I tried to ignore it with the thought of what had just happened. My mom was kidn*pped by the grand duke's son Kevon, who wants the throne but can't have it because I'm alive and he needs me to sign a contract so he can become the king. Then Lira was kidn*pped as well because of me. I started to relax in the grass trying not to put pressure on my cut on my arm. I looked at the stars trying not to think about Lira. I looked and saw Lira's face, at that moment I thought back when I looked back at her when I went through the portal. It was like I had left the only person I had ever known. After a while, the fire started to go down. I got up and headed through the forest to get some more wood for the fire.

"Hey Scarla, I will be back I just got to go and get some more wood for the fire," I whispered to Scarla.

I headed into the forest as it became darker and darker. I could barely tell what was a tree and what was stick when I was looking for the firewood. I kept walking deeper and deeper into the forest when I reach this small stream with a little waterfall, full of high grass little fireflies flying in the grass. I put down my little bit of sticks and head near the edge of the stream and sat down enjoying the beautiful sight of the peaceful sounds of the wind washing through the grass and trees, listening to all the crickets in the grass, suddenly I heard a noise. It sounded like someone with huge feet was trambling through the forest. I was starting to get a bit nervous but tried to calm myself down.

"Hey who's there?" I shouted.

Nobody answered me for a moment. Soon after I thought I was going crazy.

"Well well well looks what I see, a fellow boy lost in the woods perhaps," the deep wise voice said.

I could start to see a black form of a tall huge guy with a pointy hat shadow coming closer to me from across the stream. I started to get a little bit frightened so I started to lean back a bit.

"Hey who...who are you?" I asked with a Quiver.

"Who am I you ask, well I should be asking you the same question yet, I already know who you are. You are the next heir to the throne am I correct?" the voice asked.

"Yeah I guess I am...but how do you know that?" I asked.

"I am a wizard of course," the wizard said coming out the woods with a smirk.

He was tall with a long white beard and a pointy hat. He was carrying a bag at the side of his long robe that covered all of his body including his feet, that was blue with a touch of yellow. He seemed wise like he has been here for a long time when I say the way he dressed.

"I thought wizards weren't a thing anymore?" I asked smiling a little.

"Well we are so a thing, you just haven't been educated boy," the wizard snapped.

"Oh, my bad for not being educated, by the way, what's your name?" I asked.

"I am Argonaut the great wizard," the wizard said.

He started to walk on the water and came and sat next to me.

"Well, Argonaut, what brings you here in the woods ?" I asked.

"Looking for you it would seem. I am here to talk with you about your father," Argonaut said wistfully.

When I looked at him it looked like this was a subject he didn't like to talk about back but I didn't think he would let me so I stood as still as I could be.

"Oh well, I have no idea of who he was or how he was like. All I know is how he ruled the Kingdom in peace," I said.

When he looked over at me in my eyes making direct eye contact I could tell this was definitely something that would answer some of my questions. I knew he was actually listening to me and believe I might have a chance to being the ruler of the kingdom even if I wasn't raised in the kingdom.

"Your father was a great man. He ruled the kingdom in peace and made sure no one was left out. No one was discriminated against either elf or human, everyone was equal. Then a battle had come to that night the night you were born. That was when there was a party, a ball for everyone to enjoy themselves before the battle the next day. During a slow dance your father had a visitor, a witch you may call her as her name shall not be said. She visited the castle to come to enjoy the ball and to speak with the king. She asked him to dance even if he was married at the time, but she persisted and he agreed to one dance for his people. When they danced she tried to poison him with a kiss but the king didn't fall for her tricks. She wanted to take the throne for herself because of the power it held, but your father wouldn't let her take the throne from him. He told the guard to evacuate the castle so no one had got hurt. He asked me to distract the witch so he could say goodbye to you. When he had come back the witch was about to kill me, but then something happened. He started to make things float in the air next thing I next I saw the witch in the air. His last words were "This kingdom will evermore be peaceful with the rightful heir." The castle went dark and all I saw the body of your father and the rags of the witch. "Argonaut said staring off into the water of the stream.

I stayed quiet for a while as I processed what he had told me. It seems that my father had the same powers as me and used them to save the world. Yet I still don't understand how my father could be married to someone else other than my mother.

"So Shyne, why are you in this forest on this beautiful night?" Argonaut asked.

I sighed. "I was fighting Kevon at my House because he wanted me to sign a contract that would let him become the king but I knew that he would bring the kingdom to ruin. Scarla... a friend I know, she interrupted me before I was going to sign it. She knew Kevon will trick me and she was right. She still has to explain a lot of what I've seen in these visions I've been having. But for now, I will let her rest after all she did save me from Kevon," I said.

"Hmmm well, it seems you have done good so far on your own. although you do speak of having visions?" Argonaut asked lifting his left eyebrows.

"Yeah, for a couple of days now I have been having these visions the first one was when I saw Kevon freaking out about me being the next heir then the second one Scarla talking to the grand duke about killing me, then the third one was with Scarla and some evil voice.it all doesn't add up. It's like Scarla is in the center of everything that is going on in my life," I said.

Argonaut sat there looking like he was processing everything I just told him, I know it was a lot that I just said but he just completing didn’t say anything for about 15 minutes.

"Hmm..well I have never heard of this of an elf getting visions unless they were in prophecy but you are not in a prophecy that I know. I do know that humans can get visions so maybe you have inherited them from your father. Since you are human and elf." Argonaut said Stroking his beard.

He pulled his book out of his bag and started looking through the pages.

"Well it seems that you are one of the rarest kind out there Shyne," Argonaut said.

"Wait...what?" I said confused.

"Yes, you are a half-blooded elf, many people call you Elfish," Argonaut said closing the book.

 I waited for a moment to respond. "Well you may be right because I do have powers, I just don't have the normal elf powers like everyone else has in my family does," I said.

He looked at me the started to giggle. "Of course not, every half-human and half-elf never gets the power to control the elements but can still get their unique power that everyone has. "Argonaut said 

"Oh well, I guess that explains why I have these powers. but I should be heading back to my camp with Scarla, after all, I left her unconscious laying in the woods by herself. thank you for chatting with me for a bit while I cleared up my head, But I bet I'll be seeing you again, after all, you are the great wizard and I bet you'll be seeing and guiding me through all or most of my trials of in the kingdom," I said smiling.

"You have one point from those words boy, I am the great wizard. but one thing is for sure your head is not fully cleared from thoughts, it never will be, but until next time Shyne," Argonaut said. 

Argonaut stood up and started walking in the woods. He began the vanish in thin air in dark the forest of trees and sticks. I thought about how he did it but then I remembered he is a wizard. I picked up some more sticks for the fire as I walked back to Scarla. When I got there she seemed to be half awake yet, I still tried to be a little quiet. I knew she was tired and still not feeling well after what had happened back there. I put the sticks under the fire as the fire started to grow bigger again and a bit hooter as well. It was when I first made it but better. I said down on the grassland against the rock and looked at stars once more thinking about Lira. I thought of what she would be doing right now if I haven't gotten involved in my mess of problems. I took a deep breath to think I have a big responsibility and decision to make once I confront Kevon. I'm going to have to think about what my answer is going to be like. I just hope that I make the right decision tomorrow. I knew I was getting myself in something big Scarla and Kevon but I knew I had to take the risk because if I didn't more people will die, the violent environment that no one wanted to live in, in the first place. My thoughts drifted away, I started to fall asleep. I didn't have a vision this time when I closed my eyes but I just have a bad nightmare. It was with Lira and it was at night when we were looking at the beautiful stars and beautiful fire around us, with the bright moon shining on us showing us peace. Out of nowhere, Kevon comes with a sword-swinging it at me with crazy energy. Saying you must sign the contract. You must sign so I can be king and become ruler of the kingdom of Landmendale. Then I woke up in a bit of fright. That was when I saw Scarla cooking breakfast on a small pot over the fire.

"Good morning," Scarla said.

"Morning," I said."how did you sleep?" I asked.

"I slept okay, could have been better in a bed but I sleep, so that was good I guess," Scarla said.

"Look I don't know what you are up to but all I know, is that we need to put aside our differences to save my mother and Lira so we can stop this war and finally be at peace," I said.

"Well if you want to save your mother and Lira you must have a plan. I know Kevon way more than you do Shyne you haven't seen him n his bad days he is a true monster but if we put together a good plan then we will be able to weaken him," Scarla said tending to the pot.

"Well, I know that, I just need to create one," I said coming closer to the pot. "What are you cooking?" I asked getting a good whiff of the pot.

"Oatmeal, I brought some fruit so we can put it in the oatmeal for a bit more flavor so it won’t be plain," Scarla said.

"Wait where did you go to the store, cause I didn't see a*****e for miles," I said.

"Yeah there isn't none, but in my house, well cottage, I had some food so I just brought it out here," Scarla said.

"Wait you live out here in the woods?" I asked confused.

"No you dim bat, I live in a hidden cottage in the forest but I have it spelled so no one can see it," Scarla said smirking.

"Oh well, why do you go to our school if can just stay home?" I asked.

"Honestly, I don't have anything better to do other than school work," Scarla said."if I just sat in my cottage alone with just spells to do then I would go stir crazy. Besides, I don't mind teleporting to your school every morning because it's that that hard to do of a spell to cast.

She had gotten out two bowls for me and herself. She handed me a bowl and gave me a spoon.

"Thank you," I said taking some of the oatmeal out of the pot. "So you live in the is a cottage all by yourself?" I asked.

"Yup," Scarla said.

"Well, where are you, parents?" I asked.

"Can we please not talk about that right now, I would rather talk about you being mad at me for saving your life," Scarla said taking some of the oatmeal out of the pot when I was done.

"Yeah about that, thank you for saving me, that was really nice of you but I just don't understand why you seemed to be on the Grand Duke's side one day but then on some other person's side the other," I said.

I said my prayers and started to eat my breakfast. The food was really good, especially with the fruit. It gave it some better flavor. I was practically starved from not eating yesterday night.

"Hey this is actually good, you should cook more often at mo=y house because you cook pretty well," I said smiling.

"Thanks but this is just something I learned to make that can just get me through the days of not having a home-cooked meal," Scarla said.

"You don't cook different meals every day or every week?" I asked,

"Nope, I don't, I just I don't know how to cook different meals. The cooking spells I have in my book are too difficult for me so I just make oatmeal don't mind eating oatmeal every day," Scarla said eating her oatmeal after praying.

"Oh well you know after all this stuff happens I could teach you how. I don't use the cooking spells so it takes me longer to make them but you need to tell me why you are talking to some evil voice and the Grand Duke about killing me, "I said.

"Well, I guess I'm not going to learn how to cook then," Scarla said smiling.

"Wow, but seriously you have to give me some sort of truth if you want me to trust you again, "I said.

Scarla sighed. "that evil voice is....my master and she is a witch who wants the power of the royal throne. I work for her because she practically raised me and I had no choice. She taught me magic and how to do certain things to get around to different places to survive, but now for the Grand Duke, I made a deal with him to kill you so I can get money but obviously, I am not getting that money, but oh well, I don't even need it anyway," Scarla said.

"Wait so this witch, you know her personally?" I asked.

"Yup, well kind of, we aren't close but she knows me really well and she is all I ever knew from since I can remember." Scarla said eating her oatmeal adding more fruit to it.

"You made a deal with the Grand Duke to kill me because you knew about me being the rightful heir to the throne of the kingdom, but why didn't you tell me?" I asked.

"So I wouldn't jeopardize my mission," Scarla said.

"But aren’t you supposed to kill me then?" I asked.

"Yeah but I changed my mind about killing you," Scarla said.

"But why?" I asked,

"I...i...don't...know...I guess seeing you with your family and seeing as though you have something to live for, so I thought about how they would relate to your death. Usually, I wouldn't care less if I killed someone but with you, I know you could maybe change the whole kingdom I might just team up with you rather than kill you," Scarla said.

"Oh," I said finishing up my oatmeal.

I went on and put out the fire when I saw me and Scarla was almost finished.

"So now what?" I asked Scarla.

"Well, we should head to my cottage after all you are being hunted by Kevon and his men. he will use any resource to come after you and kill you," Scarla said gathering up the plates and silverware.

"Yeah, his men are out searching for me right now too I believe, so I think I better start making up that plan we talked about earlier," I said.

"Yeah, you better because if you don't, the kingdom and all those you love will die from you not wanting to be practical," Scarla said." but, come, this way it is not a long walk from here to my cottage." Scarla said.

I nodded and started to follow her in the woods to her cottage. I walked and started to brainstorm what I could do for a plan. then It came to me. When Lira and I talked about doing this for the people, then maybe the people can help me take back the throne. when I looked up from looking at the ground I saw nothing but trees.

"We are here," Scarla said smiling."home sweet home," she said.

"Umm...Scarla I think we might be lost because all I see are trees," I said.

"Remember I hid it so no one can come after me," Scarla said.

Scarla started to say a spell, a fog of mist came, then I saw a small cottage right in front of us. It had a little bit of a garden of bushes and a  little gate in front that we had to through first to get inside the cottage.

"Come on I will show you around," Scarla said.

"Wow this place looks cozy," I said.

Scarla smiled and we headed through the gates.it was more gorgeous than I thought it was. It has bushes that grew berries and a bit of a garden surrounding the cottage. We walked onto the stone walkway to the door of the cottage. When she opens the door it looked a lot bigger than it looked on the outside. She had a nice-sized living room with books and hanging chairs in the living room. She also had some pillows you can sit on the floor. Then from there, I saw the kitchen. It seemed fit for one person. It was not too big but not too small it was perfect. The dining room table was in the middle of the kitchen.it was a regular-sized table that could fit almost six people.

"You can make yourself comfortable after all, we might be staying to be here for a while," Scarla said.

"Thanks but I think I am just going to head to the dining room table and start brainstorming and laying out the plan," I said.

"Alright, well you do that and I am going to take a shower," Scarla said heading up the stairs.

I sat down and grabbed a piece of paper and started to make a to-do list of the things I needed to accomplish. I wrote down, gather people together, then I knew I could gather the people's trust with a team so I wrote down, create a team. By the time I made a good to-do list of what I needed to do Scarla came back down. She wasn't wearing her sunglasses like usual. Her eyes were black and white just like when she teleported us to her cottage when she blinded they change to a whitish-gray color. I was a bit shocked when she took off her glasses. She was wearing some sort of armor that fitted her well. Scarla's hair was braided back in two cornrows. She came up to me looking at what I had written down.

"looked like you are planning to have the people help you get the throne back," Scarla said.

"yeah, well, I was thinking about it and I thought this is for the people so the people should fight for what they believe in as well," I said.

"Well seems to me like a good idea except how are we going to convince the people to believe you are the next heir and that you are worthy of the throne?"Scarla asked.

"Now that is a question I still need to figure out," I said smiling.

I sat back for a couple of moments, thinking about what I could do to get the people's attention to get them on my side to take down Kevon.