Elven Princess

Betrayal

The adornments around the icy hall took away the breath of every creature that beheld it. Towering blue icicles running down from the ceiling to the floor giving off a bright golden glow constituted the numerous pillars inside. The hall didn't look anything like its name- it was essentially a cave. Silver, blue and white- uneven walls and passages made it eerily charming and almost too easy to get lost inside the giant hall. There were thousands of stalagmites and stalactites around the hall, and the guests had to keep a very sure feet to make sure they didn't stumble on any of them.

It was a relief when the chief part of the hall came into view. It was a stretch of sparkling blue ice, with tables and chairs made of same. The dishes too were made of ice, but the food was not cold, nor were anything else. A wall of blue satin waterfall poured forth from the wall of a cave at the far end of the hall. The lights bouncing off it looked like silver silk threads embedded.

Elektra was standing in the front, wearing a silver gown. Her blue eyes were radiating a smile, but Aelanor felt gooseflesh crawling up her skin. She told herself that it was just an overreaction to what Saayan had told her- that Elgarest has some form of "ominous shadow". She shook her head to clear it. Even if she was right, they were here for the much needed help. It wasn't like she was here to ask the Queen of the Dream Isles for her hand in marriage.

"Esteemed guests, we are pleased to welcome you to the Dream Isles," Elektra began, "and this ceremony has been arranged in your favour. We hope that you would enjoy yourselves thoroughly.

The subjects of the Dream Isles, let us use this chance to shower our guests with the hospitality and charms of our kingdom, and be the greatest hosts there ever were! Everyone, let the celebrations begin."

She bowed to them, and came forward to meet the group. Somewhere around the cave, the minstrels started their unearthly music, that sounded eerie and spiritual at the same time.

"Princess Aelanor, Lady Nimuel, and Haz'th, why don't you get started on the food? We have prepared delicacies from the Elven world, and the human world. I believe you would enjoy them immensely. Princess Saayan, I know you don't eat solid food, and we have arranged platters of white noise and some Westerlies and Monsoon winds for dessert. However, we could not bring sunlight for you, which is destructive to our Realm," Elektra said.

"Why, thank you, Queen Elektra. But you need not have gone to such lengths  of troubles for us," Nimuel said.

"It was no trouble, Lady Nimuel," Elektra said. "No offense, but our magick is more potent than anything ever seen on this planet, and preparing food is the most basic form of Humanoid magic."

"Humanoid magic?" Aelanor repeated.

"Yes. Humans too, can perform magick, but their magick is very limited. They can't make food appear out of thin air, for one. Humanoids, on the other hand, possess far more superior forms of magick." Elektra explained.

"So, are Shamans magic?" Aelanor asked.

"The six Shamans of the Human World? Yes, I believe they are. But they only possess a few types of magick, primarily Divine magick, and Illusionary magick. Most human wizards and mages have their abilities limited to these two. The Shamans have more reformed forms of these, and also the ability to visit the other realms. Thus, in all the realms, they are considered more valuable than any ordinary life."

"So who decides which life is valuable, and which is not?" Aelanor asked with a hint of derision.

"I do." Elektra said with the air of someone stating an undisputable fact. "I, the helper of all, am all-knowing, and light the path of every creature that roams the planet Earth."