Story Requests

The talk

Selena stared down at Asher in complete shock and disbelief. As she slipped out of the room and quietly closed the door, she silently swore she could feel her hand shaking. As she entered the dining room where the elf sat, she excused herself for leaving without saying so and began to clear away the tea things. But as the girl was carrying a stack of plates covered with crumbs to the sink, she heard the elf's voice break the silence. 

"I am sure you are. . . wondering why I brought the prince to your household," she said. 

Selena set the plates down in the sink and hurried over to the table, sitting down across from her. "Yes," she answered, biting her lip. She didn't know what to say next, but didn't have a problem as her visitor took the liberty to talk. 

"My name, in Elvish, is Calen. I was the holder and keeper of one of the sacred glowing scrolls. My job was to keep it safe and eventually hand it to the one who I knew was sure to carry it safely, and its rightful owner. I gave it to Prince Asher and he now carries it in his satchel." Calen paused. 

"I met him in the woods. He had been running away from his parents and simply wanted to travel with us. I could not let him do so. It would put my people and I in great danger, and so I decided to take him with me to the clever kingdom. As well, the war is closing in. Things are worse now more than ever before. Rumours and stories reach the cities of every part of the four countries every day. Innocent families have been kidnapped and are missing. Even children. Swept away, just like that." 

Selena was horrified. She hadn't known it was that bad. 

Calen carried on. "The waters are shrinking. Flora are dying. Comets, boulders, even fallen stars are crashing into the Earth by the hour, flattening cities to their core. Houses are crumbling. This war has to be stopped, now." 

Selena didn't get it. "But what has this got to do with me?" she blurted. "I don't understand." Her voice shook.

Calen looked into her eye, and Selena tried to hold back a shudder as the elf's eyes felt like they were piercing her soul. "Everything. Your parents were taken by the gods. Your parents  were commanded by the gods to sacrifice themselves for the human race and the war would end. But they loved you and couldn't bear to leave you, and so Calypso, Artemis, Caèl and Onnophris ripped their souls from—"

"I don't want to hear anymore." Selene held up a hand. "Just tell me what I have to do." She didn't bother asking her new friend how she knew all of it. Elves knew everything that went on inside the kingdoms. 

"You and Asher are going to the find secret locations of the gods and stop them. Stop the war. Do whatever you have to do, just do it. Pack as little as you can. Tomorrow morning I will wake you both up before the sun and you will pack and set out. I'll give you everything you need to find them."

Selena nodded wearily. The sun was just setting, but she honestly felt as though she was going to collapse. What she had heard about her parents was weighing her down, and she was exhausted from the events of the day. "I think I'll... go to bed," she decided. "I'm tired and I—" she blushed — "I don't want to be rude, but I want a little bit of time alone, please. You can—"

But Calen had already disappeared halfway through the sentence and left out the front door. Selena stared after her and then ran to her parents room. She changed into her mother's shirt and shut the door, leapt onto the bed, covered herself with the blankets and tried to sleep. 

But the thought wouldn't leave her mind, and after the sun was gone she threw back the covers and gazed out the window. "My parents loved me," she whispered, fingering her mother's shirt, and she folded her arms and watched the full moon climb higher in the sky until her eyes had shut. 

Hi everyone!! 

I'm so sorry I haven't updated in ages (I was busy with Easter and I wasn't sure if anyone was reading the story) but I updated today and I promise I'll update tomorrow. 

— @Whenthesungoesdown11