115 Chapter 115 The Elven Barrier (1/2)
The king opened the door and they followed him inside. It was incredible. Dragons were flying across the ceiling; dwarves, elves and gnomes were standing together on the right; on the left was a huge black flame.
The king said, in a somber voice, ”We have had 1 prophet. His visions drove him mad. He lost his ability to speak, so he started to paint. None of the records state that he was capable of controlling even the weakest of magic, so we still don't know how he painted the ceiling.”
The king stepped to the side, exposing drawings on the wall behind him. Ruby red eyes stared out of a face with ears longer than Stella's currently were. It was Sylva. Beside her was standing a human prince. He looked exactly like Joseph, only older, like he had pictured himself in the runic realms.
”That is how I looked when I was a child,” said Stella softly.
”No, that is how Sylva looked,” corrected Joseph.
After a moment, she closed her eyes and nodded.
The king continued, ”We've been expecting you. I do appreciate the apology, by the way. I was very hesitant to believe you were the savior, with the att.i.tude you had when you first entered my forest, no matter how much you looked like the drawing. I had never thought you would come in my lifetime.”
Joseph sighed, closing his eyes for a moment before gazing back over the highly detailed drawings. ”I deserved that.”
”You are handling this well.”
”Yeah, I've been creeped out ever since I crossed the barrier, but normally I'm not like this.”
”If you can solve the problem with the mana in our forest, I will give you full access to the royal library for a month.”
”Just a month?”
The king laughed. ”Normally, even elven n.o.bles are allowed only one day for anything less than saving the kingdom.”
”Oh. Wow. Ok then. Deal. May I ask where the queen is?”
”She is resting deep inside the castle, hoping to bring our child to birth.”
”Ah.”
”She has miscarried the last three. One was stillborn and the younger brother of our son who was killed by the humans, died in his sleep while only two. I am not sure she will survive the loss of another child. It is heartbreaking.”
Stella and Joseph left quietly after that. No words could ease the pain of losing a child.
”What's wrong, Master Joseph? Your face looks haunted.”
”Ah. Sorry. It just seems like some things are the same no matter which life I live.”
He glanced back at the room of prophecy, where the king remained behind them.
”Some people desperately want children, and can't have them, and some people who shouldn't be allowed to keep fish, are blessed with so many of them.”
An elven child, not much taller than Stella, appeared as they walked, and introduced himself as Laeroth. He would be the guide going around the edge of the elven forest looking over the barrier.
They were soon on horses, again, riding towards the edge of the forest.
”Laeroth?” asked Joseph, deep in thought.
”Yes, Joseph?”
”The elves have a princess, right?”
”Yes, princess Alissa.”
”Is she not the daughter of queen Vaeri? The king mentioned the death of their son to humans, and the death of another son in his sleep, and then she lost all the other children. Do elves have concubines?”
”Ah. It is a secret that I must ask you not to repeat. Asking others will cause issues as well though. The princess is the daughter of the king's sister and her husband. She told me as a child when we were playmates, but again, please do not repeat that.”
”Ah, so what are you, the prime minister's son? You must be something to have been playmates with the princess.”
”Yes. We have no prime minister, but my mother is on the council of advisors to the king. With fewer children being born I was helpful as her playmate.”
Joseph nodded. The forest was making him feel ill, but he was mostly able to ignore it.
”Stella, are you feeling ok?”
”I do feel somewhat off, Master Joseph. I do not believe it is affecting me as strongly as you though.”
”Does it feel like more than just, less mana?”