Treason

**Installment 15** 

Asadar read the ancient scroll again as they patiently waited at the crossroads for Goryn’s troops. Goryn’s research into several old scrolls had prompted him to take another look at a set of old hidden documents. Within the confines of the royal library in Aden had lain long forgotten plans to utterly destroy both elven races. Asadar quietly looked into the fire as he debated the scrolls. The scrolls detailed a very simple plan.

Asadar’s ancestors who had first come to rule Aden castle had been very strict rulers and reveled in their power. They ruled with an iron fist, allowing for no competition for power. As the ages went by, they had grown complacent, allowing for other races to advance in secret. It was King Radmund who had discovered that the elves were growing too powerful. It was he who designed a plan to destroy the light elves and the dark elven homelands with the help of the dwarves. He commissioned the dwarves to build many of their impressive golems. He also encouraged them to fight alongside his own armies, offering many trade incentives aimed at lowering prices for items bought by the dwarves, and paying higher prices for the items he purchased from them. However, before his plan could be finished and acted upon, both elven races heard of his ruthless plan. A lone dwarf who did not agree with the decisions made by the Lord of Elmore, smuggled the information out and distributed it to both Lords of the elven races.

The dark elves began to prepare for battle immediately, increasing their own impressive armies tenfold, using the dark magic they had learned to help them. They were convinced that they would emerge the victors even though it would be a long battle. They also had more time to build their armies because their lands were further from King Radmund.

Their lighter cousins however discovered that they would be at a severe disadvantage. Their lands were nestled next to lands owned by the King of Aden. They also had not spent years further developing and strengthening their own armies, unlike their darker brethren. In a desperate act to save his lands, Lord Erenor had traveled to the home village of the dark elves to request the reunification of both elven races.

Lord Amaldrin had not been pleased however and had nearly thrown Lord Erenor off his homelands. It took many days of discussions and heated debates before Erenor convinced Amaldrin to listen to him. Lord Amaldrin wanted the curse placed on his lands removed immediately upon signing the contract. Lord Erenor explained that the curse could not be lifted until the two races had been successfully reunified, meaning that a child must be borne out of both races before the curse could be lifted. It was then that Lady Serath bore Caellia in their homelands.

Lord Amaldrin thought the proposition over for several days. He then decided that he would agree to the contract and the terms of eradicating the curse on his lands, but only if Lord Erenor promised his most treasured possession to the dark elves, Lord Erenors' only daughter. Erenor refused immediately, he could not promise Caellia to them! He couldn’t!

Erenor spent many days trying to budge Amaldrin, but he would not be swayed. Amaldrin insisted that his son, Nathavin, would marry Caellia and a child borne. The reunification would be complete and the curse to the dark elven lands released. As time passed, Erenor received word that King Redmond’s army was nearly ready to march on the elven homelands. Erenor then conceded to Amaldrins proposal without further debate and returned home.

King Radmund heard of the treaty and sent assassins to kill the two Lords and their families. The assassins succeeded killing the Lords but not the children, they even destroyed all known scrolls telling of the treaty, those they didn’t destroy they brought back to be held in Aden. King Radmund died of old age before his plans could be completed.

The threat to the elven races was over, and they soon resumed their warring ways with one another. However, Caellia had already had her future marked in magic dye upon her forehead.