"Are you sure that tailor knew what he was doing?" Evals asked nervously.

"Yes, Evals. You are dressed properly. It just feels wrong to you. You’re used to loose fitting clothes," Cosis reassured him for the tenth time.

"You’re positive they only took my other clothes to wash them."

"Yes."

The carriage they rode in stopped in front of a red tree larger than even the one housing the inn. A page helped them out and escorted them to a finely wrought door which was the first Evals had seen that didn’t blend almost perfectly with the rest of the tree.

"That tailor is dead if I am the only one dressed like this," Evals murmured under his breath as the door opened.

"Just be as civil as you have been, Evals, and everything will be all right."

Evals was so relieved to see the other men were dressed like him he didn’t notice the undercurrent of animosity directed at him. He followed Cosis around the huge ballroom with its lofty ceiling and nodded to each of the elves he was introduced to. He forgot their names as soon as they were said. Cosis, though, seemed to remember every word spoken.

While Cosis chatted with one group of guest after another, Evals distracted himself by studying the ornate carvings protruding from the circular walls. Some were busts of elves. Other were entire scenes, meticulously done in the finest detail. In one, he could see individual blades of grass.

"Evals, come meet our hosts," Cosis said. Evals walked back from the carving of a boar hunt to where Cosis was beckoning him. He recognized Faydael immediately. She was even more beautiful than earlier in the day in her white, floor length gown with its low cut front which drew his eyes.

Next to her was an older woman similarly dressed only in light green. Evals didn’t need to be told she was Faydael’s mother. Next to her was an elf who was large for his race. His muscular legs bulged against the fabric of his tights were colored the same as his wife’s gown. His eyes held the same hate Evals had seen in Faydael’s.

"Evals, this beautiful maiden you have met. This is her father, Elder Flavis, and her mother, Sophial, the most gracious hostess we can hope to meet." Evals bowed his head slightly to them.

"Cosis tells me you are to thank for saving my children and getting Kilaal’s Sword to us safely. Faydael has concurred. My family...thanks you." Flavis nearly choked on his last words and had to practically spit them out. Evals said nothing, but he did notice Faydael was blushing slightly.

"Excuse me," he said as the tension mounted. He went back to the boar hunt carving and began studying it again.

"Evals, Flavis thanked you for saving his children. It took a lot for the man to say that," Cosis said when he was next to the Scout. Evals turned and faced the priest.

"The man didn’t thank me. He said his family thanked me. Besides, he didn’t give it freely, and I never accept anything not given freely, certainly not a man’s thanks."

"You could still... Never mind. Let’s go to dinner." Evals followed Cosis and the procession of nobles and ladies through a large double door into a long, narrow room dominate by a long table. Evals cringed inwardly when he saw the people were sitting so a member of the opposite sex was on either side.

"Evals, you sit here," Sophial said motioning to a seat between Faydael and her. Reluctantly, Evals sat between the ladies.

"Faydael told us what happened at the Mother Oak. It was tragic. She said you killed the large black man single-handedly." Evals nodded. "Flavis was the last to agree to send such inexperienced elves to get the Sword, but he was standing alone against the Council. He wishes now he had stood longer, but he has only been on it for ten years. Only one woman is junior to him, and the others of the Council weren’t very happy having a military officer in their midst to begin with."

"There are probably many others wishing he had stood his ground now," Evals said. "By the way, how is your son?"

Sophial smiled. "He is very weak, but he will survive. He still won’t accept the fact so many died or a man saved him." Her visage darkened some.

"If that acceptance will slow his recovery, then I wouldn’t force it on him. It probably won’t matter one way or the other anyway. As soon as Cosis tire of my company, I’ll be returning home. Then Faydaen will only have to admit to the loss of so many friends." Evals looked into the glass of red wine that had just been poured into the crystal goblet in front of him. "I am afraid before long all of you will have to learn to live with the loss of many loved ones." He downed the wine in one swallow.

"Do you have any loved ones?" Faydael asked hesitantly.

"If you don’t count that pompous old man sitting next to you, one, Daxlan."

"Is he your father?"

"Not really. He raised me, though."

"Who were your parents?" Sophial asked. Evals waved down the young maid with the wine. Faydael’s soft perfume was going to his head, and it seemed Cosis was craning to hear what he said; although, the priest was carrying on his own conversation with an elderly gentleman across the table.

He downed another glass of wine. It tasted delicious. As his third glass was being poured, he said, "I never knew my parents. Daxlan found me living in the forest when I was about five." He downed the third glass. The alcohol was loosening his tongue. "It’s strange, but when I think of my mother, what she might have been like, I get a feeling of love that I have never found anywhere else. It is probably just a dream. We all want to think our mothers love us I guess."

"You lived your first five years alone in the forest?" Faydael asked incredulously.

Evals laughed. "I doubt that. I’d be dead, and I don’t feel dead. That was when Daxlan found me, but he could never find any sign of my parents. He said it was like I fell out of the sky. I may have for all I know. I don’t remember anything before Daxlan found me."

"How old are you now, Evals?" Cosis asked.

"Not as old as you," he laughed. The wine was making him giddy. He hadn’t known it was so strong.

"Evals, how old are you?" Cosis demanded.

"Thirty, maybe a little older. I forget to keep track of time," he snickered. The wine was really hitting him. He stared at Faydael’s chest.

"Your wound healed without even a scar. Amazing. I still have a scab."

"I have hidden it with makeup," Faydael said blushing slightly.

"Ah. It would take a barrel of makeup to hide all of mine. I am prone to them. Whey, today I cut myself shaving. That’s one I won’t soon forget, though." Faydael blushed deeper.

When the maid returned with the wine, Evals stopped her from pouring him any more. He was giddy enough. Shortly the dinner was served. When it was through, Evals was thoroughly stuffed. He had gorged himself despite his clothing. The food was delicious, flavored with spices he had never tasted. With each dish, he complimented Sophial.

"The orchestra will be starting soon," Flavis announced at the conclusion of the meal. Evals started out with the rest of the guests, but Cosis stopped him.

"Sit a moment, Evals. The dancing will last till morning. You will have more than enough opportunity to crush some poor woman’s toes."

"I hadn’t planned on dancing. I just wanted to hear something other than your ragged snoring for once during the night," Evals quipped as he sat. He noticed Flavis had remained also.

When the three of them were alone and the doors closed, Flavis said, "Evals, I want to thank you personally for what you did. I spoke formally before because I have a certain image to uphold. I must tell you it is difficult for me to even allow a man in my house. Those of us from Kilaal’s lineage, direct and indirect, seem to have an inbred dislike for your kind. Still, I want you to know I am very grateful as a father for what you did."

"Your welcome, Flavis," Evals replied. He heard the music begin. It was a pavan of very subtle beauty. "Now if you will excuse me."

"Evals, would you bring me Kilaal’s Sword? It’s in that scabbard above the hearth," Cosis asked. Flavis started to stop him, but Cosis waved him back. Evals saw the familiar hilt sticking out of a silver scabbard hung above the fireplace which burned with the cold elven fire. He unsheathed the sword and felt the surge of power course through him. For several seconds he was lost in the power of the Sword. He then took it to Cosis and gave it to the priest.

"Will that be all?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you."

"He should be dead," Flavis said astounded when the door closed behind Evals.

"If he was just a man, he would be," Cosis agreed, "but he isn’t."

"What do you mean he isn’t? He looks just like a man to me."

"Does he? How many men have you seen?"

"To be truthful, only one. Evals looks very much like him."

"And who was that man, Flavis?"

Flavis studied Cosis. He could tell the smaller elf was leading him, pushing his mind in a certain direction, just as when they were young boys together. "It was Riccor, the hunter, the man who ran off with Kimarael."

"And what condition was Kimarael in when she ran off with Riccor?"

"She was pregnant, nearly ready to..." He stopped. He, too, had been listening to Evals tell of his early childhood. Cosis saw the realization of the possibility come to Flavis.

"Sit down, Flavis. Let me tell you a tale that will convince you your thoughts are true." Flavis sat numbly.

"As you know, your link to Kilaal is through his sister. Kilaal had only one son. His son’s wife had only one child. So it was, each direct descendant having only one child. Kimarael was the last. She fled with Riccor because she loved him. Good men, our best, were sent to drag her back because of her lineage and to kill Riccor. The baby was going to be killed, too, because it would have been of mixed blood.

"No one ever knew what happened. Everyone assumed they all perished. I have learned what happened. There was a trapper in the last man’s village we stopped in. He met Kimarael when she saved him from the Sirens’ song. Riccor was with her and they fled because they were being pursued. The trapper heard when they were caught.

"The next day he found the scene of the battle. All of the warriors and Riccor were dead. Kimarael died shortly thereafter, but she had given birth that night. The trapper never found any sign of the baby. The trapper said it was as though it had just vanished. Evals has assured me the trapper was the best in those parts.

"This isn’t the first time Evals has touched the Sword. He touched it first while he thought I was asleep. He tested the edge and cut himself. The Sword soaked in his blood and pulsed red. I didn’t understand it then, but I think the Sword was recognizing him.

"In one of the passes going to Sirens’ Forest, we met a troll. It tried to kill Evals. His sword stuck in the troll’s club and was yanked from his hand. As he dodged about, he managed to get Kilaal’s Sword. With one blow he shattered the troll’s club." Cosis shuddered. "It was the loudest explosion I have ever heard. The troll let us pass then.

"I still hadn’t put it all together, though. In fact, I told him honestly that when we reached the Mother Oak we would have to part company, but he willingly took me to the Escarpment when it was apparent I couldn’t make it with Faydael and Faydaen. It was on the Escarpment I finally realized he had to be tied to the Sword in some special way.

"It wasn’t until tonight when I heard his story it became obvious. He is the direct descendant of Kilaal, and he is the one, the only one, truly prepared to wield the Sword."

Flavis knew the story was true. He wanted to deny it. He wanted nothing more than for his son to be the Sword Bearer, but he knew it wasn’t meant to be. Faydaen never had the character to do it. Faydael had much more inner strength.

"Have you told Evals about your suspicions?"

"No. As you just said, they are only suspicions, but I am sure I’m right. After I win my bid for Council Head, we will have the Godspeak. Then my suspicions will be confirmed."

"I think you’re right. The man is special. I can see it just by the change he has wrought in Faydael."

"Whether I am right or wrong, what we have discussed must never leave this room."

"You have my solemn oath on that, but I have one question. Why have you told me this?"

"I knew if I told you and you believed it, then it had to be true. I also know you tried to convince those fools running the Council of the stupidity of sending children where soldiers should have gone. Lastly, when I do take over as Council Head, I want my first advisor and me to have no secrets."

"I shall be your most humble servant," Flavis said dropping to one knee.

The music had livened in tempo. Evals was swaying to it, mellowed by the wine, and letting his mind drift with each note played. He had no intention of trying to dance. The complicated steps of the elves’ dances left him completely befuddled.

The intoxicating aroma of a familiar perfume came to him, and he felt a light tap on his shoulder. He turned and looked dreamily into Faydael’s eyes. She was beautiful.

"Would you like to dance?" she asked sweetly motioning to the floor.

The question snapped Evals out of his reverie. Dance?! "No, I can’t. I don’t know how. Besides, I promised some friends I would go drinking with them," he lied. Her sudden reversal confused him, then several giggles caught his attention. So, she was going to play him for a fool.

"What friends are you going drinking with?" she asked contemptuously which sounded more natural.

"The dwarves from the lift. Now I must really be going." He quickly kissed her on the cheek. She slapped at his face, but he caught her hand in mid-air and forced it down to a handshake. "I have really had a very nice time. Tell your friends better luck next time."

Faydael watched him walk smoothly to the door, winking at her friends as he passed them. Her cheek burned where he had kissed it, and her hand felt like it had been crushed. She spent the rest of the night reliving that instant when his lips touched her. She kept touching her cheek, sure his lips had left a permanent scar. She excused herself early and went to her room in tears, not knowing why she was crying.

Evals returned to his room happier than he had been in a long time. He had finally turned the tables on that brat. He had enjoyed kissing her even if it was only a peck. He fell asleep wondering what it would be like to kiss her on the lips. He smiled knowing he would have to protect his groin from her knee should he ever be foolish enough to try.