I stood upon the shores of Moriah, watching as the Feron sailed away. No. Not Moriah, Solaria. This was to be my kingdom in time. I was on a large beach. A few hundred feet away, sandy shores gave way to green pastures, then to a forest. The sun was high in the sky with not a cloud to besmirch its azure brilliance. I breathed in the salty sea air, a scent that I had grown to enjoy over the two-week journey. Taking a seat on the white sandy shores I looked into the ether and focused on my connection with Baelathor. I sent him a strong mental command to increase his pace. As soon as I saw the island I sent him a command to find me. That was a few hours ago and he should be arriving in another three or four.

  Now that I was on the shores of my kingdom, I had to consider the inevitable problem. How does a lone elf conquer a kingdom of humans? Through the remnants of the rebellion of course. But they could be anywhere on the island. In one of Baelathor’s saddle bags there were over two thousand gelding and everything I valued. I even brought Benny’s armor, for some reason I didn't want to leave it in Vendalia.

  The plan for now would be to fly over most of the island and compare the location of villages, towns, and cities to my own map. I also intended to make note of landmasses, rivers or any natural formation that would be useful. In war knowing the terrain is essential to victory.

  Not once have I ever considered that I had a possibility of losing, I simply had too much power. But there is the inevitable problem of how to win. I could, with Baelathor, brutalize every barony, and force the citizenry to kneel. But, that would most likely end with me being little more than a tyrant. So, I decided to go the savior route. My looks would help there, as humans tend to associate beauty with righteousness. I still wanted them to fear me though, but I needed a specific type of fear. The kind of fear one has for a stern father or mother. The child that does not have a healthy amount of fear for the consequence of their actions or lack respect for their parents will disobey, regardless of love. It is inevitable.

  The fear of punishment is what I will foster. Then I will curtail their hate by being uncompromisingly fair. Everyone from the lowest peasant to highest noble will be held to the same standard and meet the same punishment. As long as my laws are followed there is no reason to fear. A human could lead a long and prosperous life without fear of unjust persecution. But once my laws are broken, the consequences would be swift and brutal. That is the legacy I wish to grow amongst the masses. Uncompromisingly stern, but fair.

  I spent a few hours going over my thoughts before I spotted Baelathor in the distance. He was still ten or twenty miles out, but a creature that size could be spotted easily. I looked around at the various birds in the sky and decided to make another Noire. Sometimes Baelathor was a bit too dramatic, especially if I needed stealth.

  ‘Come, have a rest near me. We will scout the island in a few hours.’ I sent it to Baelathor, when passed overhead. It would take him a few minutes before he spiraled down to land.

  Three hours Later.

  Baelathor and I were roughly five miles in the sky. We began by first traveling to the northern tip of the island. The first thing I noted was Mount Revus. It wasn't anything close to an actual mountain. Revus was a long dormant volcano on the northern edge of the island. Surrounding it was a lush green field overflowing the flora and fauna. This eventually gave way to large swaths of forest and rolling hills. On the northeastern edge of Solaria was the Cren Barony. It was half the size of Vernon with a central city with outlying towns and villages that fed it. As I flew over, I noted the moat surrounding the city. The walls, which were a little over 20 feet tall, were much in terms of defenses.

  I continued west near the northern center of the island. Marking villages and towns that were absent from my map, as well as drawing rough lines for roads and changes in elevation.

  Around a hundred miles southwest of Revus was the Caymor Barony, it was larger with more outlying towns and villages. The city half sat on a large lake with a massive mote dug in front. It would actually be quite difficult to siege for a normal army. What little information Denerif had, stated that the family were people of honor. Which could make it easy to take control or force me to take a more brutal approach.

  I continued west until I reached Maybury. What it lacked in size it made up for in its wealth of farmland. Of all the baronies I had seen, this was by far the largest producer of food. Though its defenses left much to be desired. The main city walls were unimpressive. The poor state of the roads and lack of any kind of patrol spoke of a barony in decline. Which was strange considering how much farming was being done. This would be my first target. Finally, I headed south to what would be my seat of power.

  Typically, a capital city for a kingdom should be in the center, but not so with Solaria. King Moriah’s ancestors saw it fit to build his city on the coast for no other reason than the beauty of having a coastal city. That seemed utterly ridiculous. It wasn't until I reached said city that I ate my words.

  The city was large, almost unnecessarily large. It couldn't compare with the Vendalian capitol, but it was still twice the size of Vernon and the castle itself was stunning. Mostly because of how it was constructed.

  The castle was built upon a large cliff hundreds of feet into the air, roughly in the shape of a thumb. Since it was built upon a large outcropping I couldn't even imagine how, with the exception of treachery or starving out, the castle could be sieged. There was one approach via the outcropping. The entire city with docks and wharves stretched out from this out cropping down the side of the large hill until it reached the shore. The difference in each section as the city descended to the shore was stark. The glorious keep at the highest point. Then this continued to the noble quarter, merchants, then the peasantry which eventually gave way to the docks.

  The Royal family themselves seem to have a docks separate from the rest, on the other side of the city that hosted several beautiful yachts. The main docks, however, were the most impressive. It was larger than any I have seen hundreds of ships of all sizes from all corners of the world were docked. Now I can understand why a barony so rich in produce could seem so destitute. Feeding this city had to be a problem. I estimated the population to be roughly 100 - 120 thousand. It would seem that over time more sections were added to the city as people came south for work. The outer wall seemed reasonably robust but the pathetic state of most of the peasant quarters was a firm reminder of the kind of ruler King Moriah was. Not even Wigmore had such destitution.

  I circled the city a few times from roughly a mile in the air, taking note of the docks, castle walls, and the state of the roads leading to the city, which were rather poor. The only part of the city that looked well maintained was the castle. Even the noble quarter underwhelming. It was as if the entirety island's resources were funneled into this one place. I sighed and considered how much work would have to be done. But it didn't deter me in the least the, more of a despot Moriah was, the more would flock to my cause.

  “So Baelathor, where do you think the remnants of the rebellion is?” I asked.

  The beast just grumbled in response.

  “Fine then let's start from Maybury and work our way north. I’m sure there is someone who will be willing to give me information for gold. I'll have to find a horse or be remarkably conspicuous. I'm sure the entire country is buzzing about a gigantic flying beast in their skies.”

  He growled, almost sounding indignant.

  “Don't blame me, you're the one who keeps gorging himself with whales.”

  With a mental command I ordered Baelathor back north.

  I landed a few miles south of an unnamed village deep in the forest. I had a large cloak of fine but unimpressive looking brown cloth. I replaced my splendid garments with nondescript leather. It was of fine making but specifically designed to not look conspicuous. After tying my hair back, I strapped on my satchel containing a few supplies like dried food.

  I walked for a few hours through the dense forest until I found a well-trod dirt road. It was only large enough for a single carriage and the deep furrows in the ground was enough of a sign that carriages pass through often. Adjusting my hood over my head, I walked along the path. It was a few hours before sunset and I at least wanted a decent place to rest. It didn't take long before I saw humans. No one of any note, just random peasants on carts strolling by. I did get a few odd stares from the downtrodden peasants, but nothing more than that. It was almost odd how I was disregarded. In Vendalia I couldn't go 10 feet without bows of deference.

  Eventually after an hour of walking I reached the frankly unimpressive wooden wall that served as a defense for the village. It was little more than a few dozen buildings.

  It had a basic gate guarded by a few men in hard leathers beneath metal breast plate. Each wore a cape of tattered cloth emblazoned with a symbol of what looked like a winged, six-legged stag. The symbol of Moriah. I had to wonder if it was a real creature or just some fantasy.

  The peasants seemed to be rushing to the gate. They kicked horses and donkeys into motion to get in the line quickly. I put some speed into my walk and joined the end of the line.

  In front of me was a bearded man driving a carriage in leather armor and had a sword strapped to his waist. Inside the carriage were a two people in heavy cloaks so heavy I couldn't even distinguish anything about them. The floor of the carriage was lined with produce. I approached the man and asked. “Pardon me sir. What seems to be the rush?” He looked down from his seat and gave me a confused stare as we met eyes.

  “Almost sundown, the guards won't let anyone inside after sunset. Well, not without coin.” The man said. Though he still had his perplexed stare. I suppose my large purple eyes were an oddity.

  “How much coin?” I asked.

  “A silver or two since it's late in the day.” Expensive for peasants. I shrugged as I had significantly more than that.

  “My thanks.” I said before walking away.

  The man turned his attention away from me. He did have an odd guilty look on his face as I walked away.

  “Hold on a moment.” He said hastily.

  I turned back to him with a curious expression. “The guards can get handsy if you don't have the coin.”

  “I do.” I said nonchalantly.

  “Sometimes coin isn't enough, especially if they have been drinking.”

  I almost wanted to roll my eyes. A few humans weren't a problem for me, but I wanted to see where his thoughts were going.

  “Ah, I see, would it be best if I returned in the morning?”

  “And spend the night in the forest?” a distinctly feminine voice from the carriage asked.

  I shrugged as if it was no big deal. “If I must, I would not prefer the alternative.”

  The hooded figure looked at the man and said, in an almost reproachful tone, “Husband.”

  The man sighed and looked at his wife. After a few moments he turned to me.

  “I have an understanding with the guards. They won't look twice at what's in the carriage, they'll let us through with no trouble. I pay them a good coin for it. You though, one look at you and they might not care how much coin you have.”

  It was so very strange being seen as weak and defenseless. But again, I wanted to see the people in their truest form.

  “My thanks sir, I am more than willing to pay for such honorable conduct.”

  “Alright then, hop up and join us it shouldn't take too long, after, you can go about your day the guards inside the village aren't so shameless.”

  I walked to the back of the carriage and one of the passengers offered me a hand, helping me up. I navigated the large amount of produce and took a seat across from them. I finally was able to see the eyes of an older woman, perhaps 35, and a younger woman in her early teens with the same brown eyes.

  “Greetings.” I said, as they met my eyes. Under the cloak and in the setting sun it was hard to make out my face, but even heavily cloaked as I was, my eyes were a dead giveaway that I wasn't human.

  “You're not human,” The woman observed as my amethyst eyes met her brown globes.

  “No.”

  The young girl asked, “What are ye?”

  “I’m an elf.”

  “What's an elf doing on Moriah? Aren't your people exclusive to Vendalia.” The man asked. Before the interrogation begins it would be appropriate to have introductions.

  “May I ask your names?”

  “Ah of course,” The man said. “The name is Jonas. This is my wife Cytha and daughter Nani.”

  I gave them a respectful bow and said. “I am Moon, as for why I am Moriah, it was mostly curiosity. I have never been far from Vendalia and I wanted to see more of the world.

  “Ah so its wanderlust is it? you must be young then.” Cyntha said.

  “Indeed, to an elf I am not much older than your daughter. I am 28 summers to be exact.” I just picked a number at random, really no point in explaining the complexity that is my age.

  “Truely?” Dani asked, she seemed mesmerized by my eyes. I turned my attention to her.

  “Yes, elves are a bit different than humans. I’ll look like this even when I am 280.” I said with a smile.

  “Quiet down now, Moon, keep your eyes down, the guards are coming.” I did as instructed and waited for said guards.

  In a few moments we were at the front of the line. And the two guards came overlooking the carriage up and down before walking over to Jonas.

  “Jonas, my good man, is a bit late today.” One of the guards said.

  I kept my eyes locked on a bundle of corn near my feet and listened to the conversation.

  “Indeed, but it's not sundown, may we pass?” Jonas asked. There was something like a threat in his voice which seemed to give the other men pause.

  “You know how it goes for us hard working types. The days are long, and our throats are dry. A little donation to the guards might go a long way and keep you out of trouble.” The man responded with another implication of a threat.

  “Of course I'm always willing to support the guards.” Jonas relented, sounding defeated, but I could sense the falsehood in his voice. It was clearly a performance to appeal to the guards' petty sense of power. I heard the shifting of pockets and giggling of coin.

  “Who's the new one?” One of the guards asked.

  “A niece of mine, her mother died of the flux a few years back.” Jonas said.

  I heard a guard walk behind me then he laid a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. The fool didn't know how close to death he was. Once more I wanted to see how Jonas handled things, so I stiffened in mock fear.

  “Of course, she would have to pay her way for safety in the village, though there are always other ways if coins are not available.” He squeezed a bit tighter. So, I added a shiver to emphasize my pretend fear.

  “But a little cold silver might suit me better than a warm night.” The guard continued.

  “Of course, as I said, I am always in support of the guard.” Jonas handed him another coin.

  “Good man.” He said as he pocketed the coin then he shouted to another man atop the wooden palisade.

  “Oi this is the last one anyone else will have to spend the night outside.” The guard shouted and we were quickly let past into the town.

  Roughly 30 seconds later everyone felt relieved. Then the women removed their hoods and breathed in some fresh air.

  “Well, that was something.” I said. At the same moment I reached into my coin purse and pulled out two gelding. After a quick glance around to see that none of the humans were paying attention I offered the coins to Jonas. The women gasped when they saw the gold.

  “My thanks Sir Jonas. That was well done. I hope you won’t insult me by refusing my gratitude.” He reached forward from his sitting position and pocketed the two gelding.

  “I still think Father should just thrash those two idiots.” Nani complained. She had the same brown hair as mother.

  “They will just be replaced by others and cause more problems for us. Best we rest for the night and move on in the morrow.” Jonas said.

  It would seem that the sword and armor was not just for show.

  “Is there an inn in this village where one could get a meal and a bed.” I asked.

  “No Inn, but there is a tavern, my sister lives in this village and that's who we're going to stay with. I'm sure she can put you up for some coin.” Cyntha suggested.

  Jonas grumbled but didn't respond. He seemed to dislike anything that could mean trouble.

  “You're too kind.” I said.

  I wasn't going to turn away a decent bed to sleep on and Jonas’s token disapproval wasn't enough to dissuade me. At the very least I could hopefully have a decent conversation about the kingdom and perhaps I could ask some discrete questions about the remnants of the rebellion.

  “Here we are.” Jonas said as we stopped in front of a small house. It was only slightly larger than Garett’s house. Fortunately, it was to the far end of the small village and there didn't seem to be much through traffic on the dirt road.

  Jonas immediately hopped out of the carriage and began unhitching the horses. The two women started working immediately. Dina went to the door and knocked loudly while her mother started helping her husband with the horses.

  I didn't know what to do so I stood to one side and observed the peasants going about their business. I was cautious to not let anyone see my eyes under my heavy cloak.

  “Nani! it's so good to see you're all safe.” I turned around to see a portly woman in a blue homespun dress envelop Nani in a hug.

  “Of course we’re safe papa, wouldn't let nothin happen.” Dina replied.

  “Who's this now?” The woman asked Cyntha as she approached the door.

  “That's Moon, she’s an elf we found on the road.” Dina whispered to her aunt.

  Her eyes widened and I took this moment to approach her. “Greetings.” I said, then I gave her a small respectful bow.

  “She doesn't have anywhere to rest her head. It wouldn't do to leave her out in the street. Especially with the guards.” Jonas said. In the same moment he handed her the second gelding I had given him. The woman's eyes turned to saucers before the gold disappeared into the folds of her dress.

  “We don't have much, but what we can offer is hot food and a warm place to sleep. The name is Cynthia.” I gave her a smile and shook the offered hand. I looked back and forth between Cynthia and Cyntha and wondered about the names. Apparently, this wasn't a surprise and Cynthia said with a smile. “Our father wasn't very creative when he named us.” She said with mirth.

  “A pleasure. My name is Moon.”

  A few minutes later we entered the small home. Unfortunately, I wouldn't be having a bed to myself.

  As soon as we entered, I removed my hooded cloak and untied my waist length hair. I ran my hand through it a few times and laid my satchel to one side, where everyone else left their belongings.

  After checking my supplies, I turned around to find everyone staring at me with open mouthed awe.

  smiled and said. “I assume you don't have elves come through these parts.”

  Cynthia regained her senses before the rest. “You're the first elf I have ever seen. I heard your people were pretty, but this is a bit much. I've never seen hair like that. Your right Jonas one look at her and the guards would have lost their senses.”

  “I would behoove you to know that I am a male elf.” Then the expressions turned to disbelief.

  “I see my apologies Ser elf.” Jonas said but he didn't look like he believed me.

  “It's fine. Humans can't really tell the difference between us in the best of circumstances.”

  “You are truly a man?” Cyntha asked.

  “There is a way I can prove it, but that would be rather inappropriate at the moment.” I joked.

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  Dina blushed and there was a soft chuckle from Cynthia.

  “I'll take your word for it.” Cyntha relented.

  “Now that we have all been introduced, let us have some supper.” Jonas said. After my shocking revelation, all were agreed.

  Sometime later we sat around the small table in her kitchen nursing a bowl of thick stew each. I did find it rather odd that they were so unconcerned with me. But it was likely due to their ignorance. I wasn't tall or muscled, so they probably never saw me as a threat. If I didn't have magic and an enhanced body, I doubt I could have fought and won a fight against Nani.

  “So, tell us Moon, how did you manage to get all the way from Vendalia to our island?” Synthia asked.

  “I chartered a ship from Shorecast. It was quite the journey. We even ran into pirates.”

  “Really? How did you survive?” Nani asked.

  “Oh, they was a rather cordial sort. I offered them some coin and they were rather happy to accept and leave about their business.”

  They all looked at me suspiciously. “Is that odd?” I asked.

  “Yes, most stories we hear about pirates are less peaceful. It seems you ran into an honorable pirate as strange as it may seem.” Cyntha said.

  I shrugged and tried to steer the conversation to a topic in which I was interested. “I have seen little of Moriah so far it has been….Not what I expected.”

  Taking the opening Jonas jumped in. “No doubt you have seen the state of the kingdom. Our king prefers to spend his time on wine and women. And we are forced to fund his perversion.”

  The rest of the women sighed as if this was a complaint they have heard many times from Jonas.

  “Ahh, I see. So, he is not well loved then?” I asked, gauging their reaction.

  “No, but what are we to do about it?” Nani said dejectedly.

  “I’ve read some of your human histories and it seems rebellion is most often the result of years of poor leadership?”

  Jonas barked out a laugh, but there was no humor in his eyes. “Rebellions only work if there is real power behind it the last fools thought he could rally the people with his noble cause.”

  “What happened to them?”

  “Some years back an officer from his army tried to rally people against the king. A few hundred joined and it looked like he might have a chance, but they had no coin, no noble backing and worst of all, no real power beyond a just cause. They were found and most were killed.” Cynthia explained.

  “What happened to the remnants of the rebellion?” That was in the end what I genuinely wanted to know in detail.

  Jonas answered. “They fled somewhere north. The king’s army chased them for a while, but they gave up the chance since most were dead.”

  “You seem to know a lot about the rebellion.”

  “Rebellion is a strong word, but after the whole thing ended the king made sure to spread the word around the island. Then held very public and brutal executions. Not even the women were spared.” Everyone seemed a bit morose after that explanation, so I decided to halt my inquiry for now.

  “How far is the Barony’s capitol city from this village? And is there someone I could purchase a horse from? I would rather not walk.”

  I could always fly but it would be good to see my lands as a peasant would.

  “A week's travel and yes I’m sure you can get a horse from someone in the village especially if you offer gold.”

  Jonas took out the coin I gave him and took it. “It’s been years since I’ve seen an imperial gelding.”

  Sometimes I forget that that single piece of gold was worth over a year's wages for most peasants. I reached into my pouch and took out another ten gelding. Just to gauge how he would react.

  “Would this suffice?” I asked innocently.

  Cynthia coughed on her stew as I pulled out the coins. She licked her lips then Jonas gave her the sink eye before he reached across the table and took out two gelding.

  “This is more than enough for a decent horse, saddle and all the feed you would need; I’ll take care of it in the morn. If you wish, you can travel with us for the next few days and after that you will be on your own. I suggest you travel with a caravan after that.”

  We finished supper and I was shown where I would rest for the night. I did not have my own room. The best they could do was a corner near the hearth and the rest of the family rested around the living area. I shrugged, it wasn’t anywhere close to the worst place I had slept. These people seemed like decent folk. I had given them opportunities to lie or rob me. It seemed that Jonas took a risk in bringing me to the village.

  I didn’t actually need sleep, so I spent most of the night writing down my thoughts into a notebook I had purchased. Everything was in English and as far as I knew, I was the only one in this world who could read or speak it.

  While I couldn’t say for certain if this village was the norm, I could already see how things could be improved. One massive problem was the roads and the quality of the guards. Every guard I saw seemed to be in service to the king. It turned out that no lord was allowed to raise their own militia beyond their own personal guard forces. Not the worst idea, but they left the outlying villages to the whims of what force the king sent to guard it.

  Next was how much they were being taxed. Jonas let it slip several times how harsh it was. It seemed the king took two thirds of every harvest as a tax and it wasn’t even a tax on the actual harvest, it was calculated based on how much land was allotted. So, if there was a lean season an individual could end up owing the crown since they didn’t meet the expected max yield of the field.

  This was utterly ridiculous, but what were the peasants to do, most were farmers and had little means of denying the crown their pound of flesh.

  Before we bedded down for the night, I was able to learn that the crown was in considerable debt to the Eastern kingdoms no one knew the actual price but most thought it was well into the tens of thousands.

  I finished my notes and settled down for a shallow meditation.

  The next Morning.

  “Moon?” Nani asked. I was circling the ether in my body for no other reason that it was calming.

  “Yes Nani?” I met her brown eyes.

  “Is that how elves sleep? You've been sitting like that for a long time.”

  Jonas left the house before the sun rose and I was still sitting by the hearth.

  “We don’t actually need much sleep. I can stay awake for weeks without any problems. So, we usually meditate to pass the time and rest.”

  Nani just shrugged and said.” That sounds useful, but I enjoy sleeping too much.”

  “To each his own.”

  I stood, stretched, and tied my hair back with a red ribbon. Dina stood there staring the entire time.

  “Shall we break our fast?”

  That seemed to jolt her out of her slack jawed stare.

  “Right, it is probably going to be stew again. I'm not sure what elves usually eat.”

  “It varies from elf to elf, but I eat of everything, so don't worry.”

  She smiled and before she could continue Jonas walked in through the door. He gave me a nod and said. “It's done, would you like to meet your mount.”

  A minute later I was outside examining a dappled grey horse. He was large, a quick examination told me he was an older gentleman. I would put his age at almost 18. From within the ether, I could see no hint of lameness or any kind of disease. He would be serviceable. His large black eyes watched me. With one hand I offered him a carrot and with another I fed him a slow trickle of living ether. His body drank it up quickly. In a few minutes he was used to my touch and after mounting he followed my commands easily.

  I returned to the small abode after a trot around the village. Jonas only returned with 20 silver coins bearing the same deer crest. I didn't really care if he pocketed a few silver for himself.

  “A fine horse.” I said to Jonas as I ran a hand along his flank.

  “Aye, he might not be a young stallion, but his owner treated him well and he has a good few years in him. You seem to know your way around a horse.” Jonas said as I joined him near the front of the horse.

  “I've ridden a few, though elves don't actually ride horses.”

  “What do you ride?”

  “Large deer called Su’ran. They grow as tall as a horse with large antlers that look as if they were made of polished metal.”

  His eyes became unfocused as he imagined what the Su’ran would look like. “I wouldn't mind seeing one in person.”

  “They are stunning, but rare, and only ride with a single elf their entire life.”

  “We should save the conversation for Nani. She would want to hear every word of this. She seems quite enthralled with you.”

  “It's something I'm used to. Even in the empire where elves are more common, I rarely can walk the street without awestruck stares. Which is why I decided to wear the hood. Though it irritates my ears.”

  “I did wonder how you fit those things under the hood.”

  With a chuckle I said. “With great difficulty and discomfort.”

  An hour later we left the village continuing on towards a village called Heathcliff , then we would turn further north to Fellin. There, we would part ways. The women rode in the cart as before but now they were uncovered. Jonas didn't even have his sword belted at his waist. These roads seem to be familiar to him, so I decided not to wear my hood and enjoy the morning sun.

  I rode along the left side of the carriage on my horse, named Stone. He kept up easily and was more than happy to maintain the slow pace.

  “So, Moon. is Moriah everything you thought it would be.” Jonas asked.

  “It is a beautiful island, and from what I could see has very fertile land.” The forest was gone and now we were on a flat plane. In the distance I could see fields of agriculture.

  “Aye that it is. If only we were still ruled by Moriah, the elder. Now there was a man of principle. But like the histories say, a single unworthy heir can destroy a great legacy.”

  “Can you tell us more about the elves?” Dina asked. She smiled as she jumped into the conversation. She had been asking me questions nonstop over the trip.

  “Sure, what else do you want to know?”

  “Do all elves look like you?” she asked.

  “My hair and eyes are uncommon but for the most part yes, we all have large ears and eyes with a slender physique.”

  “No, I meant all elves sooo.” tried to search for a word then sighed and blurted it out. “Pretty.”

  I said with a chuckle. “While I'm prettier than most. Yes, we do all share a beauty that humans consider to be feminine. As amusing as it sounds, it's as easy for me to differentiate male and female elves as it is for you to tell the difference between male and female humans.”

  Once more she looked doubtful then she shrugged as she seemed to accept the truth. “What about elven babes? What do they look like.”

  “Around a third smaller than humans though our ears only harden with age as children they flop about like some dogs.”

  She looked at my ears for a moment and chucked, probably considering what I would look like with those ears. Imagine it would look ridiculous.

  “Alright my dear no need to endlessly pester Moon about elven life.” Cyntha said. She looked like she had a million more questions but relented.

  “I see you sell produce, so you must be a farmer.” I asked Jonas. He nodded and I continued.

  “Could you tell me how much your product sells for? I think that would be good to know if I desired to stock up.”

  He shrugged and launched into an explanation of the cost of his produce. We eventually started talking about the produce market and his many complaints. Largely stemming from the massive tax, inefficiencies in the government and the unfairness of the law. All of this, I committed to memory and would further explore once I had some time to think. The roads passed easily, getting busier. The occasional wave of Jonas or his daughters to passersby was enough to convince me that he was indeed in familiar lands.

  Eventually the conversation turned to the rulers of the barony. It was currently ruled by a man named Yorveth or as his citizens call him, the toad. Apparently, the man was famous for his obesity. He had no children and had a wife that avoided him like the plague. Though surprisingly he wasn't hated in any significant capacity. The man gorged himself endlessly and cared little for ruling. His wife apparently handles most of the barony, an arrangement he was content with.

  Next were the reigning king's sons, Dennis, Carson, and Nomar. They were also a problem that would have to be dealt with. They were as depraved as their father. Too much power with no one to answer to had led them to act without conscience. Freely abusing the citizenry at every opportunity. The stories of abuse were common. They were some of the worst I have heard.

  I couldn't be more pleased with my future enemies. The king also had an older daughter, Lydia, in her 15th year; nothing much was known about her. While I don't care for killing innocents. I would have to wipe out the entire family. I couldn't have anyone questioning my rule by suggesting that another should sit the throne. I could always act merciful and exile them from the island, then kill them all for the sky once they fled by sea.

  “What are you thinking about Moon?” Cytha asked. We were currently heading to Heathcliff. From there I would be heading to the capitol on my own though they kept suggesting I wait for a caravan.

  “Just thinking about the Moriah itself. It has such natural beauty, fertile soil, and a strategic position, being in the middle of the Yruga, yet it is in decline due to the failure of a single family. The waste is depressing.” I said with mock sadness.

  She sighed and said, “It is a feeling shared by most, the only thing we can really hope for is some miracle or that King Moriah’s grandsons grow to have better sense.”

  “That would mean decades of more suffering and decline.”

  “True, but there is nothing else to put our hope into.”

  I had to hold back a smile. This island was ripe for the picking and all I had to do was reach. It would make the most sense to take this barony first since it is the largest supplier of food to the capitol. Then move on to east to Caymore, which had the best defended castle. Finally, To the east coast to Cren who were by far the weakest and only had decent mines to boast about.

  After another two days of traveling we reached the gates of Fellin. I had steadily been feeding Stone living Ether through our entire journey and now he was as spry as a horse in his prime. Fellin’s guards let through with little trouble.

  “Will you spend the eve with us Moon? We would be more than happy to house you.” Cyntha asked as we passed through the gates. Dani looked excited but I wanted to move on.

  “A million thanks, but I should move on to the capitol. Jonas tells me it is only a half day's ride, and the sun is still high in the sky.” Cyntha looked disappointed but nodded in acceptance. We were currently in the center of the village and for the most part people were ignoring us.

  “Well then Moon, I must say it has been a pleasure to meet you. I do hope we see you again.” Jonas said. I brought Stone alongside the carriage and reached over to shake the hand of each of the family.

  “Not to worry, I will be heading back south eventually, and I will make sure to see you again.”

  I took a weak fire etheric gem out of my pack and pressed it into Dina’s hand. She looked at the small glowing red rock in fascination and I said. “Something to remember me by. Until next time.”

  With a final wave and a kick, I spurred Stone into motion and in a few minutes, I left the village. It had been some time since I rode a horse, so I increased his speed to a full gallop, Pushing him to his limits. Humans dove out the way as I stormed past. A grin spread across my face; while flying was superior in every fashion, I still could find enjoyment in riding a horse.

  I walked along the road heading to the Maybury’s capital city. It was rather small with poorly paved roads. A long line of carriages was outside the portcullis and guards were on patrol watching the peasants. I couldn't exactly be inconspicuous since I was the only one wearing a heavy cloak in the evening sun. The human peasants constantly gave me curious glances as I led Stone by his reigns. I missed the ability to simply barge ahead to the front of the line and go about my way.

  This did give me some insight into the traveling arrangements of the citizenry. The roads were poor and badly maintained; broken down carriages were a common sight. It seems that most of the villagers were carrying produce into the city to sell. Men women and children traveled with carriages, most were burnt by the sun and artificially aged by years of hard labor. It was a common enough sight in this world. It took well over an hour before I reached the gate. To my surprise a largely uninterested guard looked me up and down once or twice, held out his hand and after dropping a silver waved me pass with little fuss.

  It was certainly poor practice to pay for the entrance to a city, just another thing I would have to fix. The city itself was, as expected, terrible. The streets consisted of cracked and broken cobbles. Poor and sickly of all ages lined the edges of the main thoroughfare begging. Shifty individuals lurked in alleyways, and everyone kept a hand on a weapon or for the poorest humans, wooden clubs.

  The scent of unwashed bodies and horses was irritating my nose so as soon as I found a reasonable looking tavern I veered off the main street. It was a tall two-story building that looked to be well maintained and there were hitches outside where travelers could tie their horses off. A young man in old homespun clothing came running over as soon as he saw me approach.

  “Good day Milord, can I take your horse? If you want, I can have him watered and brushed for only a few coppers.” I observed him doing this several times.

  “Certainly.” I replied. I hopped off the horse and handed the young man the reins. Then I gave him some silver and a few coppers. No doubt he had to give a portion of his coin to the owner of the establishment. If he's smart, he would pocket the silver and pretend that copper is all I gave him.

  His eyes nearly popped out of his head when he spotted the silver. A boy like him could work a week and only earn one.

  “Get him clean water, good feed, and a proper brushing and there will be three more for you after I finish my business.”

  He bowed with a mock imitation of nobility and said. “Swear on my life Milord, I'll see him taken care of.”

  “Good boy, it shouldn't be more than an hour.”

  I waved him off as he carried the horse away to the attached stables. Again, I had seen him do half a dozen times.

  I entered the crowded tavern, fortunately I could smell food and most importantly, meat in the air. Everyone was busy with their conversations and only a few turned in my direction. I would have thought a heavily hooded figure would grab some attention, but it seems people really didn't care. I did make significant effort to not meet anyone's eyes.

  “What’ll you be havin?” A large woman behind the counter said. She was perhaps forty with a heavy apron. She wasn't pleasant to look at by any means, especially considering her nose was too large for her face and was definitely broken several times.

  “Decent mead and any food with meat.” I replied.

  “5 copper for the mead, 15 for the food.” She replied tersely.

  “How much for information?”

  I took out two silver pieces and slid them across the counter. They disappeared in an instant.

  She lowered her voice and said to me “Depends on the info, could be a handful of silver could be gold. Could be that I'll have you tossed into the street for drumming up trouble.”

  “I have no interest in trouble. I would rather not end my day with violence.”

  “My, aren't you confident,” she said with humor in her voice.

  “I met her eyes for the first time.” and she paused as her green orbs locked with time.

  “What are ye?” she asked.

  “Not important, just know that I have no interest in violence, just information.” I reached into my cloak and pulled out a gold coin, then two more, only for her to see. Amongst peasants gold was incredibly rare.

  She licked her lips and looked around the room.

  “What do you want to know?”

  I smiled and asked. “I’m looking for someone, I hear they are somewhere north of here.”

  “I'm going to need more than that.”

  “From what I was able to find out, they fled with some rebellion a few years ago. They probably used these people as a cover to hide themselves.”

  “Sounds like you have a score to settle with them, are you going for blood?” she asked.

  “I assure you they have earned their fate 10 times over. Death, is the least of their concerns.” I tried to add some anger to my voice.

  She shrugged, seeming to not care. “All’s I knew is, there were a few hundred of them that came north after the king thrashed them so half of them decided to sacrifice themselves to give the others a chance to escape. They were slaughtered and most believe they are all dead by now. The forest north of here is not kind. There is a bounty for their heads though.”

  I gave her a single gold and asked. “There is quite a lot of ground to traverse. I doubt I could find them quickly, especially if they are few in number.”

  “You know we were once a part of the empire. There were quite a few forts and waystations up north that had gone unused. They could be hiding in one of them.”

  “If that was the case then why haven't they been found yet?”

  “It's a lot of ground to cover. The king's men tried for a few months but gave up the chase. Even with horses it would take months and many men. Why waste so much time and coin if they all starve or die of exposure in the end? The men fled with their families so it's probably just a bunch of half-starved women and children squatting in an old keep. There is a bounty if you feel like collecting.”

  “I have no interest in such things. Have I really no hope of finding my quarry?” I asked her.

  “You could get lucky and stumble on them. That’s all I have for you.”

  She tapped the table with an index finger, and I gave her three gelding, “I'll take extra meat with my stew.”

  She grinned, showing a smile missing several teeth. “It will be my pleasure.”

  I sighed and returned to my thoughts. The more I heard about this supposed rebellion the more convinced I was that they were not worth my time. Then I banished such thoughts even if there were little more than a few dozen half-starved women I still could turn them into something fearsome. I just had to find them and see for myself.

  An hour later I left the city heading north. I veered off the path for a few hours making sure to set considerable distance from the city. There was little population in the north; the few villages I passed through had small populations of half-starved pathetic looking peasants. None had much information. So, I decided it was time to take to the sky. One thing I made sure to do, however, was create a second bond with Stone.

  He was a fine horse, and I wanted to experiment with my abilities a bit. So, I stood in an empty grass field with my hand on his flank and poured a massive amount of living ether into him until he broke through the barrier. Over an hour of painful screaming later and the bond was forged between us. I did notice however in the few moments leading up to the bonds creation I could actually sever it thus allowing the creature to evolve without a bond being forged. Something to think about later.

  It was weaker than the one I had with Baelathor, but now I could see the second line of living ether emanating from my body, connected me to him and other, stretching south to where Baelathor rested. I sat in the field and meditated for a few hours to allow Stone to gorge himself feed and plants. Before, he was an acceptable beast now he looked magnificent. His grey coat was shining, and he seemed to be brimming with energy.

  I mounted him and pushed him to a full gallop. For some reason I found it more terrifying than flying as his speed climbed to almost 70 miles an hour by my estimation. I could almost feel his desire to push even faster, but that was enough experiments for now.

  ‘Baelathor, come to me.’ I sent along his connection.

  It took a little over an hour before I could see his massive form in the distance. Stone shifted beneath me. Some part of him could feel Baelathor's power. While Stone was like a bonfire within the ether, Baelathor was like a raging inferno.

  “It's alright he's more bark than bite.” Baelathor landed a few hundred feet away kicking up a massive amount of dirt and debris. I kicked Stone into motion and reinforced his will through our connection. When we reached Baelathor, his massive head examined Stone, he didn't seem impressed.

  “What? Are you going to pretend that you didn't start out smaller than a cat.” he exhaled a large amount of smoke at me and Stone sniffed in irritation.

  “No need to be jealous, we can go fly now.” I said as I dismounted Stone. He sniffed again but lowered his neck for me to climb up.

  “I'll be back soon so stay safe.” I said to Stone. With a single command Baelathor and I took to the sky.

  Two weeks later.

  Two weeks, two damned weeks of searching these forests and nothing. I started in a grid pattern searching the mountains and coastlines for any kind of human structure. Try as I might, I couldn't find any maps containing this information. I had marked ten structures that could have contained life but after landing I ended up finding nothing. They were everything from small keeps, old watchtowers and even a few abandoned farms.

  In truth there was a chance they noticed the gigantic flying monster and fled the area. I had taken to flying only a few hundred feet above the ground. After my disappointment I decided to take a break and leisurely fly along the coast to re-evaluate my approach. It was the early morning, and the chill hadn't left the air just yet. While my search had been unsuccessful, flying was never boring, and I had grown to like the smell of ocean wind. It was then, while barely paying attention, that I finally had a stroke of luck. Even though I was a mile in the sky I could see a few people loitering near the shores of the sandy beaches. I couldn't be sure exactly what they were doing, perhaps fishing. This was the first sign of sentient life I had seen in these gods forsaken hills.

  I beamed and immediately marked the location on my map. Eventually a few others came out of the dense forest and after a short conversation all the humans fled.

  “Stone come.” I sent.

  Ten minutes later I landed a few miles away from the location and changed into my more impressive attire: an ensemble of white, gold and purple that clearly demonstrated my wealth and power. I strapped the carrying case for my amplifier and waited for Stone. He shouldn't be more than an hour away. I commanded Baelathor to leave and go hunting. So, there I stood on the beach being overly dressed while waiting for Stone to arrive. I always made sure he was at least an hours away from wherever I was searching. And as expected he burst out of the forest and sprinted over to me. He anxiously nursed my hand, and I made sure to give him a good rubbing and a little living ether.

  “Alright let’s go hunt some humans.” I said as I mounted.

  We started with a quick trot along the beach keeping a careful eye out for any movement. It didn't take very long before I reached the location where I saw the humans. They were fishing apparently. The lines were still stuck in the sand waiting for something to bite. Then I turned my attention to the forest. It wasn't particularly dense so Stone would have a decent chance of navigating it. I made my way through the forest looking for signs of travel. Half an hour later a twig snapped to the left of me. Hasty breathing to the right. Someone knocked an arrow a few dozen feet behind me. There were six of them in total all following me while maintaining distance. My ears were simply too sensitive to sound; these people were clearly not masters of stealth.

  “I know you are there; I assure you I mean no harm.” I said as I pulled on Stone reigns stopping him. No one responded, though they maintained their positions.

  “There is a woman to my left, another man with a bow and arrow behind me. A particularly heavy-set man to my right and three ahead just behind those brushes. These ears of mine are rather sensitive to sound.”

  A whistle sounded then humans appeared from behind brushes. What a sight they were. Barely kept together armor, hollow cheeks and skin, severely bronzed from the sun. The lead man was tall and young, he looked to be in his mid-20s beneath the grime and dirt. Next to him was an even younger man with barely any hair on his face sporting leather armor much too big for him. The strangest one however was an old woman, she looked halfway into the grave with thin hair as white as mine and cataracts in her left eye. However, the woman was a mage, though she was incredibly weak in fact I doubt she could do much beyond the most basic spells.

  The heavy-set man was actually a heavy-set woman standing as tall Breala. The woman I thought was to my left was little more than a teen girl.

  “Greetings.” I said, not entirely sure how to go about things.

  “Who are you and what are you doing in these lands elf.” The young man who seemed to be the leader asked.

  “I am but a weary traveler, though based on your garb you are the remnants of the rebellion that occurred some years ago, yes?” Everyone stiffened, which was enough to confirm my suspicions.

  “What does it matter to an elf or perhaps you're here for Silica?”

  “I don't have a clue who that is. We happened upon each other by accident.”

  “You're also a mage.” The old woman said her voice had more strength and vigor than I had expected. Eyes flicked to her with fear and a few of the humans started to retreat behind her.

  “Indeed, all elves are mages. May I ask who this Silica is?”

  The young man sniffed and said. “That's not your concern.”

  “Very well sir. Would it be impertinent to ask if you have a camp nearby where I can rest my head. I have traveled a great distance. I can offer gold or medicant assistance. In exchange for the courtesy.” There was no chance these people didn't have sick or injured.

  The young man looked like he was about to refuse before the old woman placed a gentle hand on his wrist and whispered. “Lira won't survive the next few days. This might be our only chance. It is a risk I know, but can we really just let him leave, who knows if there are others looking. It's best we find out all we can about him and go from there. Especially with that thing flying about.”

  ‘Did she mean Baelathor?’ I wondered.

  The man looked back and forth between me and the old woman with confusion then asked in a whisper. “Him?”

  She smiled and whispered back. “Yes, it's a him.”

  Then he nodded and stated with more confidence that he likely felt.

  “Very well elf, but any sign of trouble and Loresse’s arrow will end you.” The archer finally came into my view.

  What a surprise he was. A dwarf with a crossbow, the man was a few inches shorter than I was and beardless, with a long mane of red hair. He actually had fine armor; old but well-kept hard leather adored his thickly muscled physique.

  “Greetings elf.” He said.

  “Good day Ser dwarf.” I responded.

  “Lady dwarf.” She corrected testily.

  It took all my strength of will to not recoil from the shock, but I kept my composure. I firmly crossed dwarven women off my list. “Apologies, I understand what that is like.”

  “It doesn't matter," she said and unknocked the arrow.

  “Follow me and may I ask your name?” The young man met my purple eyes.

  “Moon Solaris, a pleasure to meet you.”