Chapter 9

Within the main hall’s grandeur, Deh Leccend brought her deeper into the workings of the Elvine Palace. They ascended through the beauty the Elvine had forged here, up a grand staircase of low, even, perfectly rounded, white marble stairs and through a knifing slip to be dumped into a long elliptical hall at the far end of which rose a dais at the foot of another pair of high arched silver laced doors.

There waited nine figures of varied heights, and all of lengthy blonde silks. Though, one among their collectively short statures stood lean, strong, and tall over six and a half feet. He wore upon his dome a crown capped at the brow by a lightly curved silver spike like the palace’s own spire. The Lord of the Elvine, Dunesil Llaerth, was unmistakable with his queen, a petite lady of astounding beauty, by his side. The others, aside from Athaem, Shannon didn’t know, and she tensed internally, nervous in the face of such high and mighty beings.

Lord Dunesil came forth even as the Black Leaf brought her to a halt atop the stair, and on his arm came his lady, the Elvine queen. Shannon was felled by awe, lowering her gaze from their glittering eyes of such amber intensity as to leave Athaem’s emeraldine colors paled by comparison. She hung her head, and curtsied like she’d never done in her entire life, for she knew not what else to do.

“Oh, do not hide your eyes, pretty child, behind that ugly mess.” The queen spoke lightly, reaching out for her lowered chin and lifting her face. Breathless, unable to respond in any fashion, Shannon waited as the lady smiled upon her with fey features that epitomized every fairy in every story she’d ever heard.

“You look adorable in our garb.” The Queen smiled widely, thinning her full, supple lips. “Doesn’t she, boys?”

The eight men gathered here for Shannon’s arrival each nodded or spoke a disjointed agreement.

“Thank you.” Shannon answered abashedly.

“Except for one thing.” The lady went on. “You mustn’t do such things to your hair, pretty child. It isn’t becoming of you.” And she reached out again, taking in one of the many clumps, feeling its texture as she rolled it between her incredibly dexterous little fingers. She studied it intently, analyzing all that had been done to it.

“I like the accessories though.” She commented, and Shannon should have guessed such a response would come, for the queen’s hair was strewn with fine braids, silvered beads, feathers that belonged to a bird Shannon couldn’t even imagine, and other various ornaments. It was not overdone, but rather, just right for her innocent beauty. The queen pulled lightly away, letting the lock slip through her fingers.

“I’ll fix it for you if you like.” She said, and by the time she’d pulled her hand free, the dreadlock had stretched and bounced back into place, a tight coil of undamaged replenished hair.

“No. Thank you.” Shannon smiled weakly.

“Such is only befitting of the first lady of humyn kind to have ever set foot within Addl’laen.” Said Lord Dunesil as he smiled softly upon her. He was indeed a striking man, despite his alien features. Powerful jawed, but not bulkily manly, he seemed a blend of the best features of all types of men. Strong, lean, agile, sensitive, and brilliant -he exuded all of these and more. Undoubtedly, a king.

“Agreed.” Said his queen.

“Thank you?” Shannon sounded timidly. She glanced to Athaem and then to Deh Leccend’s sure presence a short distance off for comfort’s sake.

“You are most welcome.” Said the queen of the Elvine. “I shall give you this.” She held out her dainty hands, where there now rested, a brow chain of tiny shards and droplets of silvered glass,  which became like a net to one end, splaying out as it descended like fine sand through her fingers. Shannon was utterly speechless, unable to keep her wide dark eyes from staring upon its beauty.

“Here, let me fix it for you.” The queen reached up, forcing Shannon to lower herself slightly to allow bequeathing of a royally beautiful adornment.

“Thank you, lady of the Elves.” Shannon managed.

“Please, child, my name is Qaiyi Llaerth.” She chided lightly.

“You will address me as such, for we shall be kin.”

“That is enough, Qaiyi.” Lord Dunesil cut in as he lay a hand on his lady’s little shoulder. His free touch came to Shannon’s chin, lifting it ever-so-gently in study. His fine brow narrowed as he appeared to be staring straight through her very soul. At least, that’s how it felt.

“I am first of the Elvine branch, Lord Dunesil Llaerth, Keeper of the Veil of the Leaf’s Edge, and of all Addl’laen, young Ms. Hunter of Humynkind.” He introduced, bowing his head slowly. “I have ordered you brought by my son, Athaem and Deh Leccend, the Black Leaf, at the beckoning of the Great Tree.”

Now it was beginning to become clear as to why Shannon had been spared and brought into the Veil of the Leaf’s Edge. It was a question she hadn’t asked since being brought into the light of the wonders of this place.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Shannon managed after realizing she was staring like a dullard, and the royal coupled exchanged a haughty look, as if they knew they were above her and found her ways quaint enough to be amusing. Their smiles were like insults.

‘Oh how cute, darling. Did you hear that? It’s nice to meet creatures so glorious as we.’ They seemed to be sharing with each other in that moment of silence. Shannon could almost hear them speak it aloud.

“The pleasure is mutual.” Dunesil smiled lightly, turning and beckoning her forth as he rested a hand upon her shoulder. “You already know my son, Athaem.” He gestured towards the prince furthest on the left. “The others are Daelihn, Quaenyil, Jhe, Aeussis, Fvaeinyan, and Maiyasihm. They are each of the seven great continents of our beloved mother.”

The seven sons bowed accordingly. Shannon offered a tentative wave, attempting an uncertain smile.

“Hello.” She said, feeling inadequate, no matter what she would say. Her belly grumbled a little whine of hunger before she realized she hadn’t eaten anything for a while now. It was a wonder she wasn’t ravenous.

“Are you hungry?” Dunesil asked, guiding her forth with a hand at the exposure of the low of her back.

“Yes, a little.” She lied. She was famished.

“Then, I have something to show you.” The Lord responded with telling tones as they approached the high-arched silver doors upon the dais. With the flick of his wrist, Dunesil cast them open, allowing her to view only a distant wall of silver –the grandeur of the Great Tree’s silverine bark. At such close proximity it was nothing less than a cliff face, more glorious now than it had been at a distance. It was likely to become even more impressive as he led alongside, gently guiding by touch. Shannon did not notice no others made to follow them aside from Deh Leccend, the Black Leaf, her watcher. Dunesil made no move to speak further, and it was a long walk, leaving Shannon famished by the time they entered a veritable ravine forged by a pair of the immense roots.

“Can I ask you something?” Shannon finally asked.

Dunesil smiled and nodded. “But of course, young lady.”

“You said the Tree bid you to bring me here, but you never said why.”

“That is because I do not know just yet.” Dunesil answered with a wistful gaze up at the mighty boughs that absorbed the entire sky. “She has not said.”

“She can speak?” Shannon knew it had to have some way to communicate, else she would not be here. But to speak?

“Oh yes, and no. She speaks, though not in the way of you and I. She can touch you and you can hear her. Though, she speaks only to me.” He answered doubly in two different directions.

Dunesil then reached up as they approached the last foot of grass between them and the Great Tree’s mountainous silver roots. A long moment passed, but surely a limb began to bend, lowering with a creak and what could have been a woman’s song -a clean delighted sigh. It took some time in descending.

“You said you were hungry, yes?” He asked, and she nodded affirmatively.

“Here, we of the Elvine do not need food. We only banquet now for enjoyment, for we all partook of the Great Tree’s glory whence she’d bid us upon our birth. After eating her bark, you will never again need food. It will sustain you eternally, or in your case, through the rest of your mortal life.” He beckoned to the massive trunk and its glittering silver.

“However, there are two conditions you must consider.” He hesitated to ensure that she was listening. Shannon was… intently.

“First, you must be granted such prestige by she, and second… you can never leave.” His tone was nonchalant, but his gaze held a weight of stern proportion.

Shannon couldn’t believe her ears. A sudden welling of fear rose up within her. She just knew it had been a bad idea to trust them in the salvation they’d offered from the FBI. She wished now that she had chosen the federal agents, the lesser of two evils. Dunesil saw this fear in her immediately. He seemed to have expected it really, and he moved to quell it before she could recoil.

“Rather, I mean to say, you can never return to the life you once led in your humyn earth. I created the Veil of the Leaf’s Edge to protect Addl’laen and all of my kin from the ways of mankind -that we may share the mother and co-exist without knowledge of one another. Only the trained and the Black Leaves are those who may descend to the doorstep of the Veil to influence mankind.”

“But even they cannot descend entirely until I permit them, which has only befallen us once in the entire history of the Veil, and only then out of the utmost dire of circumstance.” He made it quite clear. There was no going back if she partook of the tree’s bark. Although he didn’t say for certain just eating the bark would prevent her from crossing back over to her old life, Shannon suddenly wasn’t hungry any more. She could wait until she got home if she had to.

“I can never go home?” She clarified.

“Not entirely, no.” He responded. “Though, even if you do not partake and sate your hunger forever, you still cannot go. I cannot allow it.”

“Why not?!” She was suddenly upset and scared. “I don’t want to be trapped here forever! I mean, your home is beautiful and all, but I don’t belong here!” She pleaded for release from this abruptly dreadful dream.

“That is for Addl’laen to decide.” He addressed her final point first, then went on to the others.

“But, whenever did I say you were trapped?” He sounded quite bewildered how she’d come to that conclusion, but he understood exactly what she meant. She could see it in his eyes.

“If I am not trapped, then why won’t you let me go home?!” She begged further.

“You cannot go for three reasons, child. There has been only one humyn to ever cross into the Veil. He stayed for a brief time when he was very young, and when he drew to manhood, after having returned to your world with promise to never tell a soul about us, as it was forbidden him by the great tree...” He paused with a heavy sigh.

“…He had lied. He had gone on to become a linguist and a great historian and a fine philosopher, taking with him the ideals and ways we had impressed upon his young, open mind. He then wrote many things down. He told fantastic tales, and believed he was covering his tracks well enough that no one would ever discover the truth behind what he’d written. For many years, he worked diligently, telling his tales and weaving secrets with make-believe. He’d worked until his very death, and we watched mankind latch onto his ideas.”

The great tree’s limb had finished descending, and it hung low behind them, waiting, as if it could hear his words.

“He we had named the Tolq Uen, the young teller, and after his death with the success of his tales, we believed he had done us a great service, spreading our influence unto your people to better their lives and to treat the mother better by. But, one day, a young girl read his tales. And that girl later saw through the Veil as if he had expressly told her how.” His eyes fell heavy on her, and she knew, she was that young girl, though she was practically a woman already when she’d started reading Jason’s little library of books to pass her time. She didn’t understand how she could have seen through the Veil just by reading a story or two. Besides, none of the stories she’d ever read had ever made mention of anything like this place or any of its allegory.

The tree’s limb shifted lightly at their backs, rustling audibly and drawing Dunesil to turn about, which in turn drew her to do the same. There she saw Deh Leccend, waiting disinterestedly, absent-mindedly petting the limb by which Dunesil would speak with the great tree. It did not appear to be speaking to the Black Leaf in any way.

“Secondly, similarly, you cannot descend back to your dimension because you are humyn and cannot be trusted with the secrets of Addl’laen.”

“I won’t tell anyone! I would give you my word!” She denied him his logic.

“Please! I just want to go home. I don’t want to reveal you to mankind!” But no matter how she might argue, Dunesil’s point stood unbroken.

“He said the same thing.” He paused. “But, even if you could be trusted, you still cannot leave, for thirdly, you do not know how to break through the Veil. Even if I allowed you, which I must for you to be able to descend beyond the doorstep between realms, you would still have to be trained how to break free.”

“Then train me, I don’t care how long it takes. Please, Lord Dunesil! Please. Just let me go!”

He ignored her pleas, stepping away towards Deh Leccend as he shooed the Black Leaf back. Deh Leccend obeyed without hesitation.

“The great tree would speak with me, and I will speak with her. She will decide your Fate, child of humynkind.” He made it quite clear that Shannon’s only hope for salvation from a life spent within the tranquility of Addl’laen was within the tree’s decision. The limb’s many twigs and leaves reached out for Dunesil almost greedily. It was like an octopus hungrily enveloping its prey with tentacles. However, for all their rush, not one lay itself upon his frame.

They wreathed him as if they meant to, but held back as he stretched out a hand. One delicate little leaf reached out to match his fingers, giving him just the slightest touch before withdrawing. The Elvine Lord recoiled, gasping and staggering back in spite of himself. Shannon thought he’d been harmed as he struggled to come to grips with what he’d been told, swaying on his feet and spreading out his arms to steady himself. Then, slowly, he erected himself and cast a dreadful, bewildered look upon her. Shannon braced for the worst news of her entire life.

“I cannot go home, can I?” She deduced from his look alone, but it was a long thoughtful moment before he spoke a whisper of unexpected news.

“She will not tell me your Fate. She told me only that you have some mysterious part to play in Addl’laen. She referred to you as Firea’csweise.”

“What does that mean?” Shannon just had to ask it.

“It is your new name, like that which was given to the Tolq Uen. It means, Change Bearer.” His voice went convex, as if swelling with revulsion in his throat. “She would speak to you herself.” He couldn’t believe he was even saying the words and it showed. Dunesil Llaerth was mystified.

Shannon was shocked, and even Deh Leccend’s expressionless face was piqued with intrigue, albeit a muted, watered down version that only let his eyebrows rise with the unforeseen behavior. After all, the Great Tree had never spoken to anyone but Dunesil. Not ever.

“How… do I speak to her?” Shannon finally found her tongue.

“Be open, and not afraid, step forth and extend your hand.” He answered.

“She is more than you could possibly imagine. But worry not, she will not harm you nor even touch anything but your hand.”

Dunesil stepped back, giving way to the waiting limbs -that Shannon, a human of all things, would be granted freedom to approach and speak with the Great Tree. She tensed, ill prepared for this encounter, but after a steadying breath and the shaking out of her slender hands as if shrugging off a bad case of the willies, she stepped forth.

This wouldn’t be so bad, she told herself. After all, she had been a tomboy for most of her life. She’d handled snakes and salamanders and all manners of creepy-crawly things that were far more threatening than a simple tree limb.

She went slowly, shakily extending her hand as the limbs came to greet her, wreathing her like they had with Dunesil. Not one touched her, as he had said. At least, they didn’t at first. Whence they’d completely wrapped about her, a single leaf came forth like the big tongue of a faithful Saint Bernard. It touched her wrist, and a cold sensation ran up her arm as it licked her exposed palm and ran clear to the tips of her fingers. No voice came. No communication whatsoever, but Shannon had the distinct feeling she was indeed being tasted. It was a test to see if she would recoil.

She strengthened herself, fighting off the willies and stepping forward, open palm groping gently at the air to ensure the Great Tree she was not afraid. Thus, it responded, and came again, reaching to touch her hand with its single leaf as its wreathing bows fell to touch her shoulders, caress her arms, tangle with her dreadlocks, and tickle down her neck and young bosom. They hugged her in about her waist and drifted down her thighs, taking in her legs to hold her spellbound. Others brushed her cheeks and ears, and Shannon swooned on her feet as if drugged by what she couldn’t know. Seduced by the powerful consciousness that touched her mind, she could not help herself in any way.

It was simply too much power to deny. Addl’laen’s consciousness flooded through her system like too much wine, and drunken, she let her eyes slip closed as she gasped, then sighed in release. The single leaf touched her fingertips again.

She would never see the awe that registered on Dunesil’s slacked jaw, nor the pursed lips and arisen brow of Deh Leccend. She was given over to the will of the single most ancient creature to have ever lived.

'Welcome home, Firea’csweise.' The tree’s voice came to her, boring into her thoughts like that of a strong motherly tone. It was, for all its solidity, decidedly feminine. It was utterly sweet, like pollen cured to honey enriched with sugar, and rolled so smoothly through her mind as to be nothing short of wind or water or sound. It was indeed lyrical, as to be nothing less than the greatest song she’d ever heard.

'I am Addl’laen.' The tree added cordially. 'I have been forever. First of the mother’s children. Mother to all others to have come after. I bear leaves and flowers and limbs for every person and every creature of mind that lives. I bear however, no leaf for you.'

'You are Firea’csweise, the Leafless, childe.' Addl’laen went on, answering the questions Shannon would have even before she’d fully developed them in response to what she was told, as if designating her by name for what she was would answer why there was no leaf for her. After all, Shannon was indeed sentient.

    'Your part to play in the scheme of life for all is mysterious, even to me.' She paused, but not for long.

'As Dunesil had decreed after the Tolq Uen had committed lie, you cannot return home until your part has been passed through.' She informed and Shannon’s heart sank a bit. 'But that is not a discouraging thought, for you are a pleasure, Leafless, for me to grow to know and love like all my leaves and limbs, from root through bark to bough. Do not be saddened by the interminable twilight that has become of your life, for in due time, I will know your Fate for what it is when time comes for choices you must make.' Beneath her caring tones, Shannon’s disappointment melted like butter on waffles, and the release was sweeter than the very same given syrup to top it off.

'As Deh Leccend informed you, I am akin. I have seen every choice that every sentient has ever made throughout the course of time, and throughout the course of events before there was such a limiting idea as time. I have seen ages of such things, and as the Black Leaf, I can determine not true future. But I can predict the choices you will make when you are confronted with them.

When you leave me, you will be given the choice to reject your new life, or live in peace with what it has become based on the choice you’d made to accept the salvation offered by Athaem and Deh Leccend. As that is your choice, I can see, you will choose to be contented with where you have come to be.'

She did not stop, or slow. Not even for a moment, leaving Shannon reeling to keep up as she analyzed the possibility of choosing to bitterly live here in Addl’laen of the Veil of the Leaf’s Edge. She found that the Great Tree was right. She would after only this much of their talk, accept what she had chosen for herself and been given by her saviors, Deh Leccend and Athaem.

  'Yes, you see it already, don’t you. You know yourself well, Firea’csweise. I promise you, by the time I release you, all doubt and fear will be as water after the rain -beneath you. And I promise you, when you are confronted by the choices you alone will have to make, I will know your answers when you come to me.

Then, will I know your Fate. Then will I be able to tell you the reason for your being, the why for the lacking of your leaf, and the meaning of both your purpose and your life.' Finally she trickled off, letting Shannon finally catch up and begin to form new questions. Most particularly was the question of these repeatedly mentioned choices. Why did Addl’laen speak of them as direly important? Did she already know the choices that were coming?

    'No.' The tree answered. 'I do not know the choices, because they are not mine and are not yet before you. However, I can tell you what I see coming with the course of things lain as they have been, stretching blindly as a jagged path through the forest and gloom of indeterminably innumerable futures of all possible directions. For one like me that guess is elementary, as Deh Leccend and all the Black Leaves would likely guess the same.

Mankind will not heed the Elvine’s warnings handed down through the Veil walkers of the Black Leaves. We will come to see the days of old renewed very soon. You will play some immeasurable part in the change and rebirth of the now and old, in the council of the Elvine beneath Lord Dunesil, my son, the Llaerthir, the father of the seven guides of the Black Leaves’ emotionless minds. For the council will likely see you for what you are after much debate and amalgamation, as they always have to form a concentric, unanimous agreement. They will see you with reason, as I have. They will call you as Firea’csweise, and know you as their kin.

In light of such a possible path, they will then forego their earliest decision on what to do about the abuse and rape and destruction of the mother in the hands of Mankind. They will overturn their decision to let a century pass of admonitions beneath the Black Leaves -each warning successively grown greater and more obvious with every passing year until it becomes clear that your kind will not heed when so consumed by greed.

Then, they will decide instead upon the prompt unleashing of the fury of my Black Leaves, and bury Mankind, that the mother may begin to heal.' Finally, Shannon believed that Addl’laen was done, but the tree lingered in her mind, gauging her reaction to all that was predicted but subject to choice and change.

'Lord Dunesil Llaerth will come to see the end of the ways of mankind, though I fear, it could be through foul eyes. You will come to see the end of the ways of mankind, and be the last, no longer kin to them, but to the Elvine and the Black Leaves and many others. And Deh Leccend, will see far beyond both of you with me. I love them all, and may miss them for a time. And I love you, even though you are not within my boughs for reasons I know not why.'

“I love you too.” Shannon admitted. She couldn’t help herself, it was the only reasonable reaction to the personality, the knowledge, the intoxicating caress, and the lovely lulling of her musical voice. Addl’laen was the mother she never had, even though she was the one child of mind that did not belong to the Great Tree.

Shannon was released, bequeathed the bearing of her Addl’laen name, Firea’csweise. She gasped in a breath, having held it in for how long she didn’t even know, and the tree’s mighty limb withdrew, rising on high anew as it went back to slumber. The change bearer swayed on her feet, just as Dunesil had done, but she righted herself as Deh Leccend came to her, offering his presence and arm for her to take hold. The Elvine Llaerthir was before her then.

“What did she share with you?” He asked, dour in tongue. Shannon felt like she was either just waking or falling into a dream. Her body felt fuzzy, disconnected, and she responded like a drunkard, head lolling slightly aside as she smiled and spoke with a thick and luscious tongue.

“You will live to see the end of the ways of mankind.” It was not a laughing matter. Shannon didn’t mean it to be. It just came out that way in her dazed state. Clearly the Elvine Lord did not wish humyns ill will. He wished them to be upright that he might love them, but if Addl’laen had said it would be, then so he knew it likely would.

“And?” He asked, features gone intense and voice insistent.

“I am kin to thee.” She giggled, biting down on the tip of her tongue as she smiled brightly with lazy lashes drawing close to sleep. “She called me, Firea’csweise, and I have decided, given choice, that I do not want to leave.” Deh Leccend grappled with her little figure, for she was weak in the knees. She was literally falling asleep on her feet, exhausted beyond all knowledge of it.

Dunesil knew, with her previous hunger, it was a miracle she was still alive after speaking with the tree for the three days that had passed in what seemed to be no more than a brief but in depth chat from within the conversation. Quickly, the Elvine Lord moved for the bark of Addl’laen, took moment to bow graciously before her and reached down to touch her skin. The Great Tree knew his need, and offered freely of a peeling before he could so much as touch her. It coiled back and fell free, silver and white, and he bowed again upon taking it up.

Shannon Hunter was left behind. All of her hopes and dreams, or lack thereof, had fallen by the wayside in the stupor of intoxication wrought by Addl’laen, the most glorious thing she’d ever known. Firea’csweise was born as she ate of the bark of the Evermore, and never would she go hungry again -not in all her years, no matter how many or few they turned out to be.

“Now that you are kin to us, Firea’csweise…” Dunesil spoke as she drunkenly nibbled and gobbled her way through the sweet meal.

“You have our gifts to make things well and be happy, to make things grow, and to tear things down.”

She gulped down her mouthful and was asleep, given into the care of Deh Leccend, the Black Leaf. Her finder. Her savior. And now, her keeper, protector and guide, her indifferent partner in crime forever at her side.

She couldn't even stop to consider how the Black Leaf felt about all that, but it likely didn't matter. He couldn't feel much anyway. He was stuck with her.