CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  FAITH IN THE FOREST

  There is nothing more spectacular than The Temple of Unfaltering Devotion lit up at night. However, when the day dawned from darkness, there is nothing more beautiful than the outer courts of The Temple of Perpetual Light in The Forest Kingdom, thought Elf Queen Ilsa Lightshower, as she walked through the unrivaled beauty of trees and flowers amidst the forest animals and birds. Before long, the temple in all its natural beauty came closer and closer into view.

  Many generations ago, The Temple of Perpetual Light had been cut into one of the largest and oldest trees in the middle of The Elven Forest. Now this Great Temple of Elion was presided over by an elf lord that she not only respected, but in many ways, was still her family. As Ilsa walked over a small wooden bridge that covered the busy river that flowed through her kingdom, a young cleric came out to meet her.

  “My queen. I am happy to see you this glorious morning. How may I be of service,” bowed the elf maiden.

  Queen Lightshower looked at the plainly dressed cleric, in her white robe, and considered her own attire. Her dress, her shoes, her crown, all her royal regalia, stood as a stark contrast to the blonde haired cleric who bowed before her. However, the elf maiden bowing before her, in all her simplicity, held a beauty and grace that she did not have. It was the grace and faith of one that served Elion above all. Even above her queen.

  “I wish to see Luminan, Solana. I pray he is here now?” spoke Queen Lightshower, kindly, amidst the singing of the birds in the trees.

  After standing straight again, Solana gestured to the door cut into the giant tree behind her. “Yes, your highness. Luminan is in the library.”

  Queen Lightshower looked at the top of the temple, with its intricately carved rail that surrounded a simple wooden platform. There at the temple’s highest point, direct light always shone onto that platform, be it from the sun, moon or stars. And because of that it was where the elven high priests offered their prayers.

  “Of course,” nodded the sorceress queen. “He always does his prayers as the sun rises. Then to study. His quest for the knowledge of the god of all creation is unparalleled.” Then she smiled politely at the young cleric. “We should expect nothing less from the high priest of our kingdom.”

  As Queen Lightshower walked from Solana toward The Temple of Perpetual Light, she looked up at the middle of the tree, specifically to the cut out windows, where vines had grown past and all the way down to the ground. After a few steps, an old elf lord appeared in the center window. Then he was gone.

  Upon reaching the door to the temple, the sorceress queen slowly opened it, walked through and waited for a moment. Then the leader of The Elven Forest watched as Solana spoke to five other clerics that arrived shortly after their conversation ended. After she watched the two elf maidens and four elf lords walk deeper into the outer courts of the temple, she closed the door. Then Ilsa Lightshower heard a familiar voice.

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  “So early to see me this morning my queen?” asked the old elf coming into view.

  Ilsa smiled at Luminan, as he took his final steps from the wooden staircase. “Stop that Luminan,” replied Ilsa in mild annoyance.

  “You are not my queen?” asked the high priest with a sarcastic smile.

  “I did not like it when Everlos was ruling, or now while I am, and you know that,” reminded the queen.

  “Yes I know, Ilsa. And I also know my brother would have been proud to see how well you have transitioned to ruler of the kingdom,” replied Luminan, hugging the wife of his late brother.

  “You should be ruling the kingdom, not me. I should be your council, not you to me,” spoke Queen Lightshower.

  “But I cannot be both king and high priest. That has not been done since the days of the King Priest. Elion has placed me in this calling, not to take the throne after my brother,” stated Luminan, as both he and his queen walked toward a window in the back of the room that looked out toward the southern border of the forest kingdom.

  As they walked, the sorceress queen snapped her fingers, and two chairs moved across the room stopping directly under the open window.

  After the two sat down, the high priest continued, “And since you were his wife, the throne, the status of ruler over the forest kingdom is your calling Ilsa. You know this.”

  “Yes I know,” whispered Queen Lightshower, looking at two squirrels quarreling on a tree close by.

  “But I am sure you are not here this early morning to reminisce about the old times. Tell me why you have come,” prodded Luminan.

  Queen Lightshower cleared her throat. “My friend, you have never been afraid to tell me what I may not want to hear. You were one of the private voices that told me we should have aided King Brock and King Ironhearth against Landon Rosser’s men and the goblins a year ago...”

  “And you wonder if we should get involved now?” finished Luminan.

  Ilsa shook her head. “I am still firm in my belief that we should stand back and let the dwarves and humans continue that fight, even more so since the recent attack by Taudridor and the goblins. However, Gilvanoss and his spies have returned, and what they have told me is unsettling, to say the least.”

  Both Luminan and Ilsa Lightshower looked from the natural beauty outside the window and back to each other. After a moment, the queen continued.

  “The power that Landon Rosser has found is immense. It has changed him, and not just from rags to the armor he now wears,” spoke the elf queen, shaking her head again. “He still commands brilliantly as a general, but now he somehow wields magic that even rivals myself and sage Falldrim of Aubrelon. Or any of the wizards across all the lands of Danaria." Then Queen Lightshower became silent for a moment. “But I may have made another mistake.”

  As a soft wind blew through the window, Queen Lightshower closed her eyes. It felt cool and refreshing against her face. The first breeze of the morning calmed her, as if it were a sign sent down from Elion’s Embrace. After a few seconds, Ilsa Lightshower opened her eyes. Yes, she thought. The real question she had for Luminan could wait. Then she rose from her chair.

  Luminan watched Ilsa for a moment before he stood as well. The high priest of The Elven Forest was quiet, hoping all that the Queen was thinking would come out.

  “I have decided to continue sending out spies, to allow us to know what is happening,” announced Queen Lightshower, as she walked toward the door, her mind having returned to the possible new war that could be next. “But we are the light of Danaria. If the dwarven and human kingdoms fall, we will make our stand here in the final conflict. Our light against whatever darkness that has been awakened.”

  “It seems your mind is made up, Ilsa. You do not want my council. Why did you come then?” asked Luminan, as he put both his hands on Ilsa’s shoulders reassuringly. The two most powerful elves in Danaria looked at each other intently. Then Ilsa smiled.

  “What do you ask of me?” questioned the high priest.

  After opening the door, Ilsa saw Solana and the other clerics nearing the temple. Then she turned back to Luminan and said quietly…

  “Pray to Elion that it will not come to that.”