Aide Me

Chapter Nine - Join Me

"The northern elves, such damage they made,
The final battle, the price they paid."

* * *

"Once upon a time, the lands were United. Elves and humans lived side by side in harmony in the villages. Dragons roamed the skies and blessed us with their magic and protection. There was peace.

"Then, one dark winter night at the Senwatoss Castle, where the old King was making ready to sleep, an arrow flew through the air. It broke through the window of the castle tower and pierced the old King's heart."

"Evidence," Hanke interrupted.

Emaia scolded at him which immediately shut him right up. She then turned to Aide who seemed unbothered by his comment. "Please continue."

"The old King's son saw the arrow and assumed what every man has done henceforth," Aide continued and glanced around the campfire. "That an elf made that shot, and that we are responsible for the war that followed."

"Where's the proof that ye' didn't?" Hanke intervened again.

"I'm getting there," Aide patiently said. The men around the fire seemed captivated by his story, as if they could see the story transpire before their eyes. Emaia felt it herself, too.

"The old King's son took the throne after his father and swore revenge on the elves. He saw the arrow as an invitation for war and so he accepted it. What followed were years of coldblooded war where thousands of innocent people died," Aide paused and looked at the ground. "People and... dragons."

"Dragons," Emaia whispered. Those creatures had always fascinated her, and hearing a story about them from someone linked directly to them... it was like talking to a dragon's ancestor.

"Why should we care about those?" Hanke snarled. "They burned our villages down, they killed our women!"

"Dragons were smart, evolved creatures," Aide spoke up and met Hanke's eyes. "They were born of magic and had nothing to do with the war—"

"Not until ye' elves started riding their backs and coaxing them into doing ye' bidding!" Hanke barked. "This is ridiculous, why are we sitting here when we should just kill—"

"Hanke!" Emaia snapped. "We said we'd listen to him, so close your yap and let him speak, or so help me God, I'll tell your wife you killed an unarmed man!"

Hanke's mouth formed an O, but after a moment of just staring mortified at her, he finally shut up for good.

Emaia nodded content. "Please Aide, continue."

Aide had been patiently waiting while calmly smiling at her. She was beginning to think that he purposely let her handle things just to see the fire he claimed she had. Now that she had burned down again, he nodded and turned to the men.

"As I was saying, both dragons and people where getting slaughtered, and the elves started to grow outnumbered. It became so bad in the end that elves were driven from the villages or killed if they tried to get in. That's when we decided to flee to the furthest corners of the world," Aide glanced into the fire, his crystal orbs flickering in the light of the flame. "Our cousins chose to travel to The Southern Islands, whereas we traveled to The North with the dragons. We figured they would be safer up in the mountains where it was too cold for humans to travel. And for years, it worked.

"One night though, a slaughter party commenced," Aide looked up to the silent crowd, and Emaia felt a shudder run through her body. She knew what day he was talking about. It was the night known as 'The Final Battle.'