From Silver and Chaos

A new door.

Chapter Five: A new door.

The Elves of Dratlan stood in the dark halls of Maethryn, protected from the morning sun by black stone.

The night had passed in wonder, but that fear had consumed me as the sun rose. As if everything before me would vanish with the light. They hadn't, but the sunlight made them wispy. We moved into the fortress for breakfast, sitting amongst the dark pillars.

I was the only one who ate. Gilda sat behind me, braiding my hair whilst the others sat around me. Heslan chattered on about the first time he had landed a shot with an arrow – a story he had told countless times. We weren't a Keep for frivolous celebrations, but we had danced that night and kept Heslan on our shoulders. I looked for the missing faces again amongst my family, hoping they would reappear.

I wanted my Mentors to see me. Especially Mentor Lhokin. I wanted him to see that the risk he had taken on the fisherman's daughter had paid off. I wanted him to be proud of me.

Save them.

I hadn't. Maybe it was better that he could not see me now.

A human approached me as I finished my breakfast. Kendon rose at my side and I followed, inclining my head. I had only seen this human in flashes - Commander Janae Whitely.

He wore no helmet, exposing the dark dome of his head. His face and hands were marked with old scars, but he still wore the Paladin armour that I had noted all those months ago in Dratlan.

"Commander Janae Whitely," I stared at the man who Mahon had considered a father. The man who had taken Mahon from those Gold-Hand mines and given him a life with purpose. "It's an honour to meet you."

His eyes crinkled when he smiled. "I would say the honour is mine, Miss Aviana Birchwood."

Now I wished that Mahon was here. I knew he would never admit it, but a few minutes to talk to the Commander he mourned would mean so much to him.

"You spoke last night of changing Paladin Commanders? Who took over my position?" We sat on steps of obsidian, facing out over the Paladins and Elves.

"First, Vossen. As I said, he was a traitor who allied with the Insurgent and was killed. Then, Greydon Caldson was appointed. From what I've seen, he is doing a fine job."

"He comes from a long line of powerful leaders. His aunt, or was it his great-aunt...?" Whitely mused, "...well, an aunt somewhere in his family line was once a Paladin Commander."

Whitely braced his elbows on his knees, staring at the Elves and Paladins who mixed so easily together. I wondered if they had gone on a similar journey to me – learning to trust those who they were once wary of. He said. "I wish every day that I could go back to Cadelith and get away from this strange land, but they tell me that I cannot until the Insurgent is killed. Only when the Insurgent is killed, will my soul be able to be free. I never cared about where my soul would go after, but now it is all I can think of. Will I turn into a creature and then hurt the soldiers who were once under my charge?"

"The Insurgent will die. There is no other outcome that I can accept."

Whitely glanced down at me, a half-smile rising. "You sound like your companion Captain Bryant."

"Well, his infallible attitude has kept the Legion slogging ahead."

"I don't doubt that."

"Tell me Commander," I cleared my throat, "...why did the Paladins come to Dratlan. What could you have done that the Elves of Dratlan didn't?"