The Queen of the Elves

Chapter 14

Caroline gasped for breath as the roots finally unwound themselves from around her face. She coughed a little before she was able to talk again, or see anything clearly. When she could look up she saw Richie leaning against a rock and Bernard trying to speed the roots up by pulling on them to get them away from his leg. Apparently he was ticklish. There he was: trying not to laugh, rolling around in the grass, trying to keep the root hairs from brushing against his bare feet.

“Stop! Stop!” he begged.

Caroline raised an eye at him, then turned to where Richie stood, breathing heavily and staring off into space.

“Richie?” Caroline whispered, “Are you awake?”

He turned to her questioningly, “Do I look like I’m asleep?”

A smile of relief lit Caroline’s face and she sank to the ground, ignoring Richie’s question. She let her head fall into her lap. She breathed a sigh escaped her lips, and she let her body relax for the first time in days. Everything would be alright. She wasn’t going to die.

As she sat there she let her mind relax as well. Her thoughts meant nothing, she was practically asleep. She was so tired. She was letting her eyes close when suddenly she saw from the corner of her eye Gail jump from a tree.

She jumped to her feet in alarm. He grinned sheepishly.

“Good afternoon Caroline.” He murmured, “How are you doing now?”

A thought suddenly occurred to her as she looked at Gail, “Where’s Mason?”

“Um?” Gail stammered.

“Didn’t you save him too?” she staggered towards Gail, “He’s not still down there, is he? You have to get him out of there! Gail?!”

“I couldn’t get him.” Gail said, “I’m not really that accurate with my roots. They had swarmed over him, and I might have gotten an… interesting elf up here with us. We can’t handle that right now. Besides, they would’ve cut him free, I wouldn’t have been able to get him. Honey, I’m sorry.”

“Wait!” Bernard cut in, “Dude, Mason’s still down there? Holy crap, we got to get him out of there!”

“There’s nothing you can do! I’m very sorry. He’s just a changeling though, why should you care?”

“We’ll get him out.” Bernard said, then jumped up and ran off as fast as he could.

Caroline stared after him for a minute, then slowly stood. She took a deep breath then ran after him. Gail looked after them, then unwound his roots the rest of the way from around Richie.

“Good luck with that wimps.” Gail called after them.

Caroline was breathing rapidly and hoarsely as Bernard finally came to a stop in the small elfin village. He jumped up onto a large rock that the elves had built their town.

“Everyone, listen up!” he shouted, “The queen is dead!”

Everyone was suddenly frozen stiff, completely unmoving, not breathing, frozen. Bernard took a deep breath then clapped his hands. All the elves fell to the ground and appeared to be dead. Caroline let out a gasp.

“Bernard!” she shrieked.  “What did you do?!”

“Sh!” Bernard whispered.

He looked around for a minute, then clapped his hands again and everyone got up again and continued about their business.

“What’s going on?” Caroline begged Bernard.

“A new ruler has just been elected. Since I announced the death of the queen first I’m the one who is heir to the throne.” Bernard sighed, “Its meant to let the ruler’s closest friend have first chance at the crown, but normally it ends up as a rat-race. I got here first, so all the elves now have to follow me, blindly. They have no memory of the previous ruler.”