How the Elves Became Enslaved

Chapter 1

Chapter 1: A Bard, A Historian and An Adviser to two kings

In the year 330 AD

"I tell you, wizards are no better than Muggles," Anika exploded to her husband. "Anyone more powerful than they are is a threat. And now we're in a war against elves and goblins that no body really wants." The red haired bard was tempted to throw down her harp in frustration, but to take out her emotions on her beloved treasure would be regretted instantly were she to do so, so she restrained the violent impulse. Her husband, a renowned historian, nodded in silent understanding.

"You could always write a song about it," he suggested.

Anika laughed. "Oh Grym! That will make the 15th song about it," she pointed out, and he laughed along with her. Many folk considered Grym Gust to be a dour man, his long lank hair swept sternly back from his usually scowling face, but Anika could always make him laugh or at least smile several times a day when in her presence.

Goblins and elves had their own kingdoms, but the trouble started when the king of the British wizarding kingdom married the elf king. The 2 had made many trade agreements that eventually led to spending many late nights together that weren't always about trade...well perhaps only of a personal nature. Anika was the elf king's personal bard, and her husband, Grym, the wizarding king's personal historian. Now the two kingdoms were united, so both bard and historian served both the wizard and elf king. The two had met when the kingdoms merged and they were married soon after.

The first few years of the united kingdoms were profitable for all races until humans started trouble as they were so often wont to do. Humans were the only species that started so many fights among themselves and others, Anika silently fumed to herself, hands trailing lightly over her harp without touching the strings. Eventually the human wizards got into quarrels with goblins and elves then complained when they got trounced. Goblins and elves both had more powerful magic and neither truly needed wands, though goblins did feel their magic was enhanced by them. Elves didn't bother. Now the wizards wanted to deny goblins the right to wield wands and it was only making matters worse and more rageful.

"Do the wizards truly expect goblins and elves to restrict themselves so unfairly," Anika asked incredulously, not for the first time.

As a result, Grym didn't bother to answer save for a sigh and shrug to match.

"I mean they always start it, and now we've a 3 way war on when things were just fine," she ranted. "All over stupid magical rights and I know those goblins and elves were falsely accused of all those crimes just because of jealous wizards who can't stand to see someone able to do something they can't!"

Anika and Grym knew several of those wizards. They were petty, cruel, and angry that their vast amounts of gold couldn't buy them the more powerful and flexible magic that goblins and elves naturally possessed. The Malfoys and Flints were among the leaders of those rabble rousers who had initially begun this war. Any wizards who kept close company with elves or goblins were considered traitors to their own kind. This included Anika, Grym, and the small blonde who had just entered the room, a tight worried expression on her face.

Camilla had served the elf king as adviser before he'd met the human wizard king he'd married 4 years back. Even though she had lived among the elves for most of her adult life, she was not targeted by wizards as a traitor to her kind before the war. Before the war no one had cared where she lived. "Nearly got killed 3 times today," she said with a careless shrug as she flopped her small frame into the ornate high backed chair across from Anika.

"Only 3? Someone is slipping," Grym quipped from his desk across the room.

Camilla shot him a frown and he merely shrugged his black robed shoulders.

"Any progress from the kings," he asked.

"Leonis attempted to meet with the war leaders, but they wouldn't hear him. They insist that he's trying to overthrow all the other wizarding kingdoms and China is even in on it now. They think just because he married an elf, he has to be planning something. He can't just love someone from another race without planning something," Camilla said with a frustrated sigh.

"Do you think the war would stop if they just ended their marriage and their alliance," Anika asked hopefully. She didn't think the two kings should have to do so but she was tired of war, of stupidity, of people dying, of worrying about dying herself.

Camilla frowned, shaking her head. "For one, they'd not. You know those two are obsessed with one another. They'd never be able to keep apart. It'd kill them."

"It may kill us," Anika muttered darkly, one slender hand making a discordant sound on her harp strings. Killing us with their love, she thought. That sounded like a good song title.

"And for my second point," Camilla continued as if Anika hadn't spoken. "The main issue is that wizards fear anyone more powerful than they are so the only thing the kings getting married did was draw attention to goblin and elf power when all 3 neighboring kingdoms started working together. Now that it's done a break up of two of the three kingdoms wouldn't stop much for long if at all. As you've pointed out a million times, Anika, people are just mostly wicked and like to fight far too much for anyone's good."

"And Critter," Grym asked of the elf king. "Has he accomplished anything?"

Camilla brightened at mention of her king, straightening in her chair. "He is working with the goblin king on new weapons. The goblin's chief seer feels that the humans are about to do something really bad, so Critter hopes to wipe the chiefs out before it can happen."

"And that's new," Anika asked dryly, arching brows at Camilla.

"Of course not but they're working on a weapon that kills in more massive amounts at a longer range," Camilla explained. "Combining elf, goblin and wizarding power to wipe out the other wizarding kingdoms was something they didn't want to do, but now, after this seer's prediction, it's looking like a necessity."

Grym nodded and jotted down a few notes. Anika knew her historian husband would get an entire book out of this war alone. At least an entire book if not several. Books of blood, she thought darkly. Another good song title. She and her husband both, in their particular ways, documented things so that people may learn. Such a shame and a waste it all seemed, though, because people never ever ever learned from the past!