AJ led them up and over the hill in front of them, climbing carefully up. There wasn’t a path, but the hill was gentle enough that their steps were easy. When they finally reached the top, his pants were dry, as he’d predicted, and the castle ruin came into view.
“It’s beautiful.” Sofia said softly. Her eyes took in the scenery, settling on the castle runs that sat at the top of the cliff, overlooking the sea, and not too far from the forests. AJ smiled at the familiar sight. For a while this had been home to him. More of a home than any other place ever had been. He’d learned each stone, each tree, each cliff as if they had always been his playground. He sighed and felt a tension slide from his shoulders. “It is beautiful.”
Before they went further, he turned to them all. “I want to warn you guys that there’s a chance they won’t be happy with me, same as the faeries. More so, though, because I have family here. But I don’t want you think that they’ll hurt you. They’re a hospitable folk, and they treat guests kindly if not carefully. You’ll be allowed inside the castle, but you probably won’t make it past the entry room until they decide what to do. There are certain areas guests are allowed, and others they aren’t.”
“We won’t shame you before your family, Alyck.” Marzio said calmly.
“Yeah, we’ll be on our best behavior.” Geoff echoed with a roguish grin.
AJ’s lips curved with a small smile. “I don’t doubt it. I’m just asking that, when you talk to them, please, talking as respectfully as possible. In most ways they’re hard to offend, but matters of respect are very important to them. Don’t look the King in the eyes until given permission to rise, and don’t speak directly to him unless he speaks to you first. Above all else, try to be slightly humble until everything is dealt with. For now we’re guests visiting a King and need to act as such. Once that’s done, I’m hoping we’ll be friends visiting friends, and the rules are a hell of a lot more relaxed then.”
Each one of them quietly promised to do as he asked them. Satisfied with that, AJ took a deep breath and led them toward the castle. He felt eyes on him as he walked, but he didn’t acknowledge them. To do so would have implied that he had something to fear from them, which could mean that he had something to hide. The others would be excused if they looked around, but not him. He knew the rules that the elves lived by.
Without breaking stride he led them straight to the front arch of the ruins that would take them past the first gate and into the inner courtyard. Right outside the entry he paused. It had been so long since he had done what was necessary that he wasn’t sure for a second he would remember how it was done. With the changes to his body, and to Brian’s, most likely they could just walk in as any elf did and be where they needed to. But if the others walked through the arch, all they would find would be more ruins. He needed to activate the guest spell.
Very carefully he wove all of the elements into one shining ball. Dirt from the ground, water from the nearby ocean. Spirit and air to bind it together. A small flame at its center. Then he lifted it and put the small ball of elements into the little alcove at the top of the arch. He watched as the ball pulsed for a second before disappearing.
Well, they’d passed the first test. AJ gestured his friends toward him and led them through the archway.
The instant his foot hit the walkway on the other side, everything around him changed. No longer was the castle in ruins, but was whole as it had once been. The courtyard was filled with trees and flowers and bushes; a beautiful garden to rival any in the mortal world. Elves were everywhere in the gardens, talking amongst themselves, laughing and sharing stories, or simply meditating among the greens. Children ran naked among them, their laughter echoing off the high castle walls.
AJ could hear the soft exclamations of surprise from his friends as they caught sight of what few humans ever got to see.
Their presence caught the attention of those around them. It confirmed AJ’s beliefs when he was only watched and not greeted as they walked forward. There were many different types of elves around, and all their eyes were on him and his friends. He saw the pale hair and bright eyes of sun elves. The darker black hair and midnight styled eyes of the night elves. The browns and greens of the wood elves. Even the silver and blue of sea elves.
Because they chose not to acknowledge him, AJ forced his eyes to stay forward. To look and speak to them when they weren’t speaking to him would be shameful. By not speaking to him right now, they were honoring him in their own way. It was obviously known by all of them that he was coming home in shame. If they spoke to him, it would be admitting that they saw him and his shame, and would dishonor him. By refusing to acknowledge him, they allowed him a small amount of honor to step with before the king.
One elf stepped in front of AJ as he reached the entrance steps. He looked over AJ’s head, though, and spoke to the others in a voice as melodious as the sound of the waves. He was a sea elf, with silver hair that hung to his knees, and eyes three colors, like the depths of the ocean. “Guests, might I invite you to partake in some refreshment in our gardens.” He invited, gesturing to his left. With a look AJ indicated that they should go with him. They all thanked the elf for his courtesy and agreed that it would be great. But as Brian started to go, AJ sent a small pulse over the bond, silently asking him to stay.
As his friends were led away, the doors in front of AJ opened. He took a deep breath and climbed the stairs with Brian to his side, yet slightly behind him. He felt Brian’s shock and awe when they stepped inside the main room and the door shut behind them.
Brian saw the beauty of the room and it’s stone walls. There were no tapestries as there might have been in this castle if humans had lived there. There were great tables set up on either side of the room, but they were of a wood that seemed to grow from the ground itself instead of being built. Flowers and plants were everywhere inside of their, each one looking as if it was growing out of the stone itself. Elves milled around the room, dancing amongst themselves while others played music.
It was almost as if nature had been captured and brought inside the stone walls of the keep to grow and thrive and lighten the place. Glowing orbs lit the room, keeping the shadows at bay. What dominated the room was the throne that sat at the end of the entry.
On either side of AJ were staircases that rose up, curving to reach the second floor. But straight in front of him, down a long carpet that AJ knew was hand woven, a throne sat against that back wall, and on that throne sat the one man that would be able to return AJ’s honor to him, and remove the shame from his shoulders. The throne itself looked like a tree that had been curved and shaped until it formed the throne it was now. There were no loose branches, no leaves, but it was undeniably a tree. Beside it sat another, slightly daintier version that would be for the queen. There was none at the moment that AJ knew of.
‘When we get there, do as I do.’ AJ sent across the bond. ‘But please, if you don’t mind, stay where you are. To my right, a few steps behind. It’ll allow him to deal with me first, and keep you out of the line of fire. He looks pretty pissed. An remember, speak to him when he speaks to you only, please baby. No matter what he says to me.’
Brian’s response was a wordless agreement and a burst of love that gave AJ the strength to start forward. He kept his spine straight and his head held high. This was one moment that pride would serve him well, at least until he reached the king. There he would need to temper that pride with the proper humility.
A few feet shy of the king, AJ dropped down to his knees. He crossed his arms behind his back, clasping either elbow, to show that he bore no arms against the king, and he bent at the waist until his forehead touched the ground. He didn’t spare a chance to look at Brian, but he heard his lover touching the ground. All he could do was pray that Brian would take his advice. Right now, concentrating on anything else could get him in even more trouble.
He stayed low, not daring to move. No one moved until the King gave them permission. The minutes stretched out and still AJ stayed there. He felt Brian’s discomfort through their bond, but he didn’t waste the time to try to reassure him. Right then he needed to concentrate.
Finally a voice that was as firm as the stone of the walls around them spoke, silencing the entire room. “Many have the years been since you have come before us.” The King said to him. AJ didn’t move, didn’t speak. He knew it wasn’t a question. He simply waited, barely breathing, as the King spoke again. “I have half a mind to send you back out the way that you came. Straighten, both of you, and explain yourself to me young one, so that I might decide punishment for your transgressions.”
Now AJ straightened himself. He kept his hands clasped behind his back as a sign of respect and humility, though it was not required now. Still, even as his torso straightened, AJ kept his eyes on the ground by his knees. He had not been given permission to look upon the King.
“I have thought long and hard of the words to use, my King. None have I found that excuse the behavior I have shown. Though my neglect was the cause of a spell, I am the one who was foolish enough to be around the person, and I let my guard down enough that they slipped the spell in without my realizing it. The dishonor is mine to bear. I come before you to humbly beg your forgiveness, though if it is not granted, I would understand.”
“What is this spell you speak of and what was its purpose?”
AJ was quick to answer. “A spell using spirit, to take away the parts of my heart that connects me to my ancestors and those of magical creation. The parts of me that were elvish were bound in this and locked away with an inverted weave so that I could not even see it upon my center. By doing that, it also drew away my connection to all that is fey, so that I neglected them as well. The purpose of this was to distance me from those that could be viewed as allies so that I would be weaker. With the help of my friends, who wait outside, this spell is gone and I am whole again.”
The room was completely silent. Not even music played in the background. AJ kept his eyes on the ground in front of him, feeling keenly the shame of his mistakes. What he said to the king was true. It was how he felt. Though this had all been done by Roth, that didn’t stop AJ from accepting his own blame. He should have never gotten close enough, let his guard down enough, that Roth could slip that spell in without him ever knowing.
When the King spoke this time, his voice had the sound of booming thunder. “Who is this that would dare seek to separate you from your people, and those who need you?”
“It was Rothalo, my king.”
The name created an uproar from all the elves present. AJ’s instincts kicked into overdrive and he had to force himself to keep his gaze on the ground. He knew that they would know the name. One, because he’d told them about Roth the first time he’d ever been here. Two, because they were watchers of the world, and gathered information to themselves. But the tone to the voices and cries around them spoke of a rage greater than he’d thought to find.
There was no sound to alert him, but AJ sensed the presence of the King as he rose from his throne and moved to stand in front of him. His bare feet stopped right under AJ’s gaze. Time seemed to stretch on as the King stood there. Finally he spoke, and his voice echoed through the halls.
“All of us know the evil that this man Rothalo bears. Many of our people have fallen to his tricks. Our eyes are not blind to him.” Warm hands touched AJ’s shoulders, instantly erasing the tension there. “Rise. You have no shame in my eyes for this.”
With that comment, AJ released his arms from behind his back. “Thank you, my King.” He said, still keeping his eyes down. The first hurdle was past. He knew that he could make it through the rest. He had no worries with the other elves, for once the King declared that he wasn’t shamed in his eyes, then he was no longer shamed in the eyes of the others.
The hands on his shoulders moved up to cup his face, tiling it up until he was eye to eye with the King’s smiling face. “I am pleased to have you home, Alyck.”
“I’m pleased to be home, honored grandfather.” AJ answered him warmly.