Ten Years Later
In the small, northern town of Eldergate, the Elven folk were preparing for the celebration of a lifetime. The seventh and youngest princess of high Lord Aden and high Lady Alousia would be arriving in two day’s time to select one hundred lucky Elven maidens to be bound for life into her service during her coming-of-age ceremony.
The town had never hosted such an elaborate occasion—in fact, few Elven towns had. Coming-of-age binding ceremonies were rarely performed outside of the capital city of Alderwood, and common Wood Elves were seldom selected to serve the royalty. The coveted positions were usually filled by the offspring of those already in service. However, Lord Aden had been unusually prolific by royal standards, and had out-bred his servants’ ability to provide suitable servants for all of his children, so the youngest had to choose her servants from among the lower classes. It was the opportunity of a lifetime for the maidens of Eldergate, a chance to bring honor and status to their families; and every eligible girl was preparing for the big day.
Princess Brandela was far less excited. Not only was she being forced to travel into the wilderness, to some remote and unfamiliar town to “come of age,” but her mother, high Lady Alousia, would not be in attendance. The princess and her procession were traveling a hundred and eighty leagues southeast of Alderwood. The journey, which would have taken an Elven Ranger only a week to complete, was a tension-ridden forty day expedition requiring a large contingency of servants to travel ahead and have camp ready for the princess’ arrival, dozens of guards and an obscene number of Elves to tote, fetch and care for Brandela’s every need and desire. By the time the princess reached camp on the final night of the excursion, she was not in a happy mood!
“We’re almost there, my Lady,” Brandela’s nursemaid, Nina, declared cheerfully.
“Almost to the middle of nowhere,” Brandela retorted bitterly.
“Oh, come now, cheer up. Think of this as an adventure. None of your siblings had the chance to select their own servants. This is a very special opportunity. You’ll be bringing new blood into the servant lines—goodness knows we need it—and servants selected by your own hand will surely bond more strongly than normal.”
“None of my siblings had their ceremony leagues from home without their mother there,” scowled Brandela. “It’s not fair!”
“My Lady, you know your mother would want to be with you for this occasion if she could. She’s very fond of you and very sorry that she couldn’t make the journey with you,” scolded Nina with a kind smile.
Brandela knew Nina was right. It wasn’t her mother’s fault, but still…it hurt to know that her mother would not put aside her other duties to be with her for her coming-of-age ceremony. She had made an effort for all of the others. But then, none of the others had been forced to search for their bonded servants outside of Alderwood.
“She could have come if she’d really wanted to,” Brandela sulked, not yet willing to give up feeling sorry for herself. “If I live to be 800 years old, like her, I’ll never treat any of my children— especially my youngest one—with such inconsideration.”
Nina chuckled. “If you live to be 800 years old, like your mother, you’ll be wise enough to know that things don’t always go the way you want them to. You’ll forgive her then…or hopefully, sooner. You’ll be a high lady running a noble house by then. You won’t have time for all this self-pity.”
Brandela blushed, knowing full well that Nina was right again. She was being pitiful and self-pity was not one of her strong points. She was the descendent of five Western Wood Elven high lords, she reminded herself. She had the blood of strong leaders and great Elves coursing through her veins, and they had dealt with much more serious issues than coming-of-age ceremonies.
“I will be a wise and responsible ruler,” she said out loud, lifting her chin and straightening her back. “Thank you for reminding me, Nina.” She bestowed a quick kiss on the nursemaid’s cheek before climbing out of the palanquin. She was not happy with the situation, still, but she quickly fell into the natural rhythm that was so familiar to her, and was soon giving orders and organizing her procession. She was young, impatient, and perhaps a little spoiled, but Brandela was a born leader.
The procession left early the next morning to ensure that the princess would arrive at Eldergate before nightfall. Scouts spotted them during the final league of the journey, and by the time they reached the outskirts of the town, most of the townsfolk had poured into the streets to cheer their welcome.
At the town center, Brandela left her palanquin and was immediately approached by the town’s governor.
“Welcome to Eldergate, my Lady,” gushed the governor, who was red-faced with excitement and smiling broadly. “I trust you had a comfortable journey?”
Brandela glanced at Nina, who quickly looked down to conceal her knowing smile. Brandela smiled and answered, “Yes, quite comfortable, thank you. We are looking forward to having a chance to freshen up though, if you would be so kind as to show us our quarters.”
“Oh, most certainly, right away, Your Highness,” the governor replied. “You will find that we have set aside our best accommodations for you and your companions—the best in all of Eldergate!”
“I’m sure they’ll be quite sufficient,” Brandela assured him.
Suddenly he leaned toward her with a conspiratorial smile and said, “To be truthful, Your Highness, this is the biggest event we have ever had in our town. We are very pleased that you have chosen Eldergate as the place to celebrate your coming of age. It truly is an honor.”
“The honor is all mine,” replied the princess, graciously, while continuing to avoid looking at Nina, who knew better than anyone how much she resented being there. “I look forward to meeting the eligible maidens,” she added.
“Oh, yes! We have prescreened and listed all of the applicants between the ages of eighty and one hundred years.” He held out a long list of names, which she took and stared at in surprise. There must be over 1,000 names here, she thought. She struggled to compose herself before looking back up into the eager man’s face.
“Thank you,” she said weakly. “I’m sure there are many fine applicants.”
“Yes, yes,” the governor beamed. “I’m sure you will have no difficulty finding one hundred suitable servants from the young women of our area. And now, here we are,” he said, gesturing toward a beautifully decorated building where the princess and her contingency would reside during their stay.
“Thank you very much for your assistance,” Brandela said, eager to get to a private space where she could think in peace. “If I require anything, I will be sure to contact you.”
“With anything at all, Your Highness, day or night!” And bowing profusely, the governor left.
Later, settled in her room and refreshed, Brandela picked up the list of names again, began to read, but then threw the list on the table in frustration.
“What’s the point?” she grumbled. “These are just names. I don’t know any of these women. How am I supposed to choose?”
Nina whisked by with a fresh dress spilling over her arms. “I suppose you’ll have to meet them in person, my Lady, one by one.”
Brandela sighed deeply. It seemed like such a daunting and impossible task. If only her mother were there to help her. Except… she could hear her mother’s voice in her mind. “This is a choice you must make on your own. These young women will be with you for life, caring for you, advising you, and helping you run your household. You must choose carefully and wisely, for once the choice has been made, it cannot be undone. Look for those who can be trusted, and who are smarter and wiser then the common Elves, so that they may bolster your own abilities of leadership. Strive to surround yourself with intelligent and wise people because they will help you make intelligent and wise decisions in your future household.” Brandela understood the importance of the decision, but she wished she could speed up the process and get out of Eldergate and back where she belonged as soon as possible.
Well, she thought, if I must do this, I will do it right. I’ll give the townsfolk the spectacle they’ve been hoping for, and I’ll meet with these young ladies immediately.
“Nina, please send a message to the governor, requesting that all of the applicants submit themselves in the courtyard tomorrow,” she instructed.
By midmorning the following day, the streets of Eldergate were swollen with expectant citizens. Never before had an event of this magnitude enlivened their town. Curiosity brought out even the most reclusive Elves, but for the many families with maidens hoping to be chosen, much was at stake on this day. By the time they reached the town square, these poor girls had been advised, primped, bullied, and fussed over until they were so nervous that meeting the princess seemed a formidable terror.
To earn a place as Brandela’s servant would bring great honor to their families and, more importantly, allow them the possibility of being bonded to the most suitable mates in the kingdom. The Wood Elves considered bonding and breeding well to be among the highest honors any Wood Elven male or female could attain, as great importance was placed on the family in their culture. To be chosen by Brandela, and later by a high-ranking mate, would ensure their status now and their children’s status in the future. This was more than a job opportunity. This was a life opportunity!
Brandela and her procession were greeted by the frightened, staring eyes of over 1,000 Elven maidens and the cheers of three times that number of Elven citizens, who were blocked off by town guards from getting too close to the selection area. The Elves watched in fascination, for they had never before seen royalty in person, and Brandela was an exceptionally beautiful royal person.
She was dressed in a white, silk gown with rich, hunter-green borders. The gown was heavily embroidered with vines and leaves of the same green—a very common fashion amongst the Elven nobility, symbolizing their Wood Elven heritage. It was stunning.
Her reddish-gold hair was the perfect shade by Western Wood Elven standards, and she wore it in a courtly, coiled braid, entwined with silver ribbons. Nestled in the coils was a thin silver crown engraved with Elder rune crystal. At the center of the crown were three teardrop-shaped, white pearls—one pointing to the right, the other pointing to the left, and the middle pearl pointing straight up.
Brandela had the petite bone structure of her mother and her eyes were an extremely rare and very beautiful shade of bluish green, often compared to the rare, bluish-green diamonds that were found only in the lands to the north. Her complexion was a lightly toned, golden brown that the Western Wood Elves prized and were so commonly known for. She was absolutely stunning and everyone in the crowd was mesmerized by her beauty.
One set of eyes amongst the thousand widened at the regal sight of the princess, and then lowered, sadly, as the owner saw in an instant everything in Brandela that she, herself, was not.
Kerala had been plagued with doubt ever since she had arrived in the town two days earlier and had turned a corner from the marketplace to the governor’s office to behold the longest line she had ever seen in her life. At least three hundred Elven maidens stood there, waiting for the chance to be screened as an applicant. Kerala hadn’t realized that the competition would be so tough. It was all she could do to make herself step into that line with so many other girls whose prospects seemed so much better than hers.
I should have known it wouldn’t be easy, she scolded herself. One of the Elven Elders’ Proverbs came into her mind: Things that come easy, when examined through the lens of time, often prove to be of little importance and are worthy of even less regard.
This would not be easy, but it would be worth it if she were to succeed. It might be her only chance to help her family regain the social standing that her father lost when he chose to marry an Eastern Wood Elf instead of one of his own kind. Her chances of finding a mate within her own community were slim. She had inherited her mother’s looks—the pale, white skin, auburn hair and hazel-green eyes typical of the Eastern Wood Elves and considered less than attractive by Western Wood Elven standards. Even worse, freckles covered the bridge of her nose. Even though her parents were constantly assuring her of her beauty, she knew better. To Western Wood Elven males, she would never be considered an acceptable mate... unless she could prove herself in other ways. Becoming one of Brandela’s servants would be a good start!
Five hours later, she was accepted as one of the many hundreds who would be presented to the princess. Just as many were turned away to face the shame of returning to their families. She was relieved and her hopes rose a bit then. But now...
Kerala sighed and lowered her eyes from the view of the beautiful young woman before her. This is pointless, she thought. Whatever made me think that the princess would even look at me, the daughter of an outcast farmer, and an ugly one at that? She is so far beyond my station..., I’m fooling myself
With a heavy heart, Kerala did the unthinkable. She turned her back on the princess and began to walk away from the area set aside for the applicants.
From her position above the maidens, Brandela saw, from the corner of her eye, the small agitation of movement as Kerala turned and pushed through the crowd. In the space of a second, surprise and annoyance at the girl’s odd behavior turned to curiosity. Who better to start the interviews with than one who had caught her attention right away?
Brandela lifted her hand imperiously and pointed to the young woman who was walking away. In the most regal voice she could manage, she called out, “You there, stop and present yourself to me. I, Brandela, seventh princess of the House of Oendale, command you.”
Kerala stopped dead in her tracks, afraid to move as much as her head to see if it were she that the princess was addressing, as she feared. A girl beside her poked her hard and whispered, “You must go back!”
She hadn’t thought when she turned to leave, but now she realized that her actions may have been perceived as an insult. How on Ryyah would she be able to salvage the situation?
Kerala turned slowly and made her way to the front of the crowd. She presented herself directly in front of the princess and curtsied as low and as dignified as she could muster. On rising, she gave the traditional salute and the expected, “How may I be of service, my Lady?” She was careful to keep her eyes respectfully lowered.
Brandela was surprised by the woman’s proper manners and knowledge of protocol. It made her earlier mistake even more curious. “You can begin by explaining yourself. I am not familiar with the customs of this town, so please tell me of what custom of respect is it to walk away from someone before being properly introduced?”
Kerala’s pale face flushed and she raised her eyes to the princess earnestly as she replied, “My apologies, Your Highness. There was no intent on my part to insult my Lady. I simply realized upon seeing your beauty that I am not worthy to serve you and did not wish to waste your time with my interview.”
The princess found herself surprised, yet again, by the girl’s humility and honesty, and was genuinely intrigued by her unusual looks. She was not about to let her off the hook now.
“What is your name and occupation and what skills are you trained in?” Brandela asked.
It was Kerala’s turn to look surprised. She had expected the princess to send her away immediately for her rude mistake, and yet here she was, extending her inquiries.
“I am Kerala, of the House of Vanthrail, Your Highness, and I am an apprentice scholarly priestess. My skills consist of the study of magic and its broad uses. I am also well-versed within the Proverbs of the Elders, as well as many other scholarly books and titles.”
“You appear to be well educated,” observed Brandela.
“Yes, my Lady, although I still have much to learn. I am particularly interested in the use of source magic for protection and healing.”
“Skills of these kinds could be very useful to me,” noted the princess. To herself she thought, I could definitely use someone of her intellectual capacity.
“How do I know you’re telling me the truth about your abilities?” queried Brandela. “After all, anyone can say they are trained in the scholarly arts.”
Kerala lifted her chin and looked the princess in the eyes. She was pure confidence now, as comfortable in her scholarly element as she had been self-conscious and uncomfortable in the physical element. She began reciting one of the quotes of the high queens. “One of the greatest gifts of the Elven Elders to their children was the gift of the bonding spell, for our forefathers knew and understood that a stable family unit is the foundation of any society. If the family unit decays over time for any reason, then the greater society will surely follow.”
Brandela smiled. “I find you immensely interesting,” she said. “I cannot imagine why you would think yourself unworthy of being in my service. I doubt if I will find a more worthy girl here today. I am going to offer you the position of head maidservant. It is a big responsibility but I am sure you are more than up for the task. Will you willingly accept my offer?”
Kerala’s voice quivered with emotion when she answered, “Of course, Your Highness. I would be more than honored and thrilled to have such a distinguished position within your household. It is more than I had hoped for and far more than I feel I deserve.”
“I have a strong sense that our destinies are closely tied,” said Brandela in a hushed, serious tone. It was true that from the moment she had seen the girl, she’d felt drawn to her. Perhaps it was simply that they were close in age, but Elven wisdom told her there was more to it than that. She trusted in the bonds of the heart, and she knew there was a special reason this girl had stood out for her. Only time would tell.
Brandela placed her hand on Kerala’s shoulder. “If we are to work together, I command you use my first name, Brandela.”
Kerala shook her head, and her face flushed with anxiety. “My Lady, I couldn’t…”
“You and I are more alike than you may think,” insisted Bran-dela. “I have not yet bonded with a mate, which means that I am not an Elven mistress worthy of respect. My position of status is as tenuous as yours.” She smiled down at Kerala’s incredulous expression and added, “You will help me, and I, you. For now, we are equals. You will call me Brandela.”
Kerala humbly agreed and curtsied low once more. She knew the princess’ words were sincere, but… equals? The princess was the most desirable Elven female in the Western Woods. How could she possibly compare their positions of status? It was all Kerala could do to contain a laugh as she thought of this. Still, Brandela had chosen her! She could hardly believe her good fortune.