Return of the one long gone

An unexpected visitor

The Kingdom of Mezalea was quiet. Houses were dim and silent as people slept. There was a gentle breeze, a slight unrest in the world around them, caused by a disruption in normality.

 One figure not asleep. Someone new, not from the town. Foreign dress and build compared to Mezalean people. They were a simple shadow, unnerving anyone out for an early morning walk under the fading stars and rising sun. It stopped occasionally, marvelling at the architecture and sky as the summer sun rose to take its place above them. 

Yet they didn't walk to the many inn's on offer. No, they caused shock in passers-by as they strolled up to the palace like it was an ordinary building, and not a marvel of design and construction, built from the ground up by their King. 

Yet the silence remained.

- - - -

The noise was soft at first. It still caused Joel to stir, sitting up slightly. At first he thought he may have been hearing things, or it was just the usual tapping of birds on the windows and the palace roof, possibly one that had landed funny on his balcony. 

However, it came again, louder, clearer, more urgent. He still paused; looked at the clock on his bedside table. It read 4:35. A strange time to be knocking on someones door. The door of the King no less. 

He wondered for a moment if it had woken Lizzie, who was in her room sleeping. He hoped it hadn't, she wasn't sleeping well currently for a multitude of reasons.

He walked through the dim hallways of the mega-palace. He didn't stop to marvel at his work or make sure the staff were where they were supposed to be doing as instructed, he didn't have the time. The knocking was getting louder and more frequent with every passing second. 

The door finally came to view. It towered over him, being an 11ft door (he was only 5'4, he wouldn't admit that to anyone though). He could hear more clearly the sounds of mobs, or more accurately the sound of them being slayed by his visitor.

He opened the door slowly, only so he could be heard, not so he could see who was currently protecting his door from mobs; so whoever it was couldn't see him:

"Who's there?" It was silent for a moment, apart from the firing of an arrow and clatter of bones as the figure killed yet another hostile.

"Joel?" It was quiet, unsure even. Yet they had an accent even though their voice sounded rough and hoarse; dehydrated. It was identifiable however. It was elven, something he hadn't heard in years and yet was so familiar he could describe it after the passage of centuries if he had to.

Cautiously, he opened the door wider, unsure if he had made a mistake or it actually was who he hoped he had heard, to reveal a face he was sure he would never see again. "Scott?" Joel swore he was almost crying, studying the man in front of him. The person who used to be one of the most successful rulers to ever take a throne. 

Scott, who usually wore an expression of nothing, stood looking at him with something akin to pleading. Scott, who would always flaunt his Rivendell clothing; showered in gold jewellery, stood in a simple black t-shirt and navy jeans with trainers that looked as if they had been battered with a sword hilt. 

Scott, who had been missing for two years that very morning, stood in front of him, bringing thousands of questions and no answers.

"Joel. Can I come in please?" He sounded so cautious, so fragile. It was as if he thought Joel was going to make him leave and fend for himself. "Oh sorry yeah come in." Joel stepped aside to let the elven king in, who in turn stopped to look at the interior of the palace. "Wow. Joel how long did this take you to build?" , "About half a year, it was worth it though.", "It sure was, it's incredible. You've improved since I've been gone."