Archives: New Marmo Republic
Chapter 3: Myrela’s Mission
After Thane departed, the rest of Thrash’s company stayed in the tent to discuss their potential ally. Myrela, however, wanted to check on her rangers. The dark elf stepped out of the tent and walked into the camp, looking about for familiar faces.
After the meeting in the war room had concluded, Snowe continued to watch until he found Myrela walking out the door. He followed closely behind her until his tall quiet shadow was nearly beside her. “Commander,” he called tersely. He paused a moment before continuing, assuring himself that he had her attention. “The others are still at their posts.” He stepped forward a bit, making his way beside her as he hesitantly continued to speak, “Did...everything go well?”
“Feh,” Myrela spat at Snowe’s question, but she was grateful to have someone to vent to who had been witness to the initial meeting. The ranger began to rant in the elven tongue; “He grates on my nerves. If Thrash didn’t need the men under him, we’d have left him back at the gully. Arrogant, self-absorbed... I can respect Thrash, you know! But this...boy needs a dose of reality. Thrash had that, he’s pulled himself up to where he is all on his own. This Thane fellow was born into power, and it shows. Oh Falaris, does it show...” Myrela paused in her tirade and looked back at the young ranger. “You saw him. Tell me, what do you think?”
Snowe looked down as he recalled the events of the meeting. Shaking his head, he turned back to Myrela as he replied in their native tongue. “I can’t say that I’m too fond of him either. I don’t suppose this alliance is in any concern a matter of respect anyway, since he has thus far been successful on the battlefield, but still...It seems he simply is not one to be humble. Then again—I have not been in contact with humans nearly as long as you have. You would know better than I the characteristics of a worthy man. But, either way, the humility or arrogance of this man are not of much concern as long as he performs for us the way we want him to.” Beside himself, Snowe felt a bit of tension in his limbs as he forced himself to continue. “So...it’s really true that Thane was partially raised by a dark elf?”
“I’m not sure,” Myrela replied. “I wouldn’t be surprised, a few of our kind took a liking to humans during the war; Pirotess, for example. He didn’t give us a name though.” The ranger walked along, heading out of the human camp and back into the dark elven village. She was obviously rankled still, but after finally being able to vent, she was relaxing a bit.
“Perhaps we should send someone to keep an eye on him,” Myrela said, a smirk turning up the corners of her lips. “Maybe someone pretty to make sure he has our best interests at heart and keep him humble. I think I know the girls we can ask.” The dark elf turned, heading to another part of the village and waved for Snowe to follow her.
Snowe’s mind was preoccupied with the thought of dark elves and human beings coexisting in some harmonious way as he walked briskly, but a clear image would not come to mind. It all seemed too hazy and unreal after the things he’d seen since the War of Heroes. The relations between the two had all seemed to be mutual companionships for the sake of destruction. He wondered whether it was really possible to live in the presence of human beings without violence on their minds.
He put the thought behind him as they made their way through the dark elven village. “Someone...in mind?” Snowe followed closely behind his commanding officer, picking up his pace in order to keep up with her. “Well, I suppose; our women are just as fierce and twice as brave as any man. Who do you think ought to keep tabs on him?”
“One of Urolia’s daughters, they are all quite beautiful,” Myrela replied. Urolia was the mother of one of Thrash’s closer allies, a dark elf named Aelis. His father was her first husband, whom she divorced to marry a more attractive man, and with him, she had three beautiful daughters. The eldest, Amaria, was 157; the second, Vanaia, was 107, and the youngest, Lunal, was 87. “And if Thane has a problem with it, this won’t be Thrash’s doing, but the dark elves’.”
The ranger wandered through the village until reaching a home built into the trunk of a massive tree and knocked on the door.
Snowe remained some what quiet as he followed closely behind Myrela. His mind seemed to drift off once again while she knocked on the sturdy wooden door of the house. He only wondered now what sort of reaction Thane will have at being supervised by a dark elf woman. He had heard of Urolia before, and was almost sure he had met Aelis on more than one occasion, though he was quite sure he had never heard or seen her daughters before. But, if he knew his people, then each of them should be just as skilled, witty, and alluring as any other dark elven woman. The only question on his mind now was, ‘which one?’
A handsome dark elven man opened the door. Long silver hair fell around his shoulders, and pale lavender eyes peered out of his dark face. “Can I help you Myrela?” he asked, opening his door wide and standing straight in the entrance. He was a tall man, standing around six foot one.
“Hello Irindril,” Myrela greeted him with a grin. “I would like to come in and discuss something with you and your family.”
“Certainly,” Irindril said and stepped aside, welcoming Myrela and Snowe in. “Please, have a seat and I will gather the ladies.” With a quick bow of his head, Irindril stepped away into other rooms of the house, which were build around the core of the tree. The two rangers were left in a sitting room and Myrela took a seat in a twisted wooden chair to wait.
Snowe followed Myrela’s lead and took a chair close by. He patiently sat practically motionless, meanwhile inspecting his surroundings. Along with the chairs, many of the other household items around were also similarly crafted from wood. As they awaited the return of their host, Snowe finally decided to break the silence. “Myrela...” he started, “I am not familiar with any of these women. Have you given any thought as to which would be most suitable?”
“I’m not sure,” Myrela replied. “Honestly, I only know them in passing. I believe most of them are more focused on shamanism and non-combatant skills, though Amaria is an archer. I suppose what we really need is a good shaman.”
Shortly, the dark elven family appeared. Urolia, the mother, was a graceful woman with a delicate face, pale brown skin, white hair, and golden eyes. Her dress was humble, and her hands dirty; apparently she had been working in the family’s garden. Her daughters entered behind her, each one an exquisite combination of both attractive parents. Their skin color fell in between the dark color of their father and the light color of their mother. Amaria had her mother’s golden eyes, and Irindril’s silver hair. Vanaia and Lunal both had Irindril’s violet eyes and Urolia’s white hair, but despite the similar coloration, both girls were recognizably different in facial structure and height.
“How may we be of service, Myrela?” Urolia asked, wiping her dirty slim hands on her apron.
“I have a request for your daughters,” Myrela replied.
“Oh?” Urolia responded, taking a seat on a dark wicker bench. The rest of the family moved into the sitting room and took seats all around. Lunal sat in a chair beside Snowe and gave the young elf a coy smile.
“Lord Thrash received a potential ally with a significant force behind him today. I am... untrustworthy of this new ally, and he has yet to fully commit to Thrash’s cause. I want to assure his loyalty, and have an insider in his camp. I think the best way to do this is send one of your daughters, with their exceptional beauty and shamanist skills,” Myrela explained. At the compliment, the girls almost blushed as one, but they were obviously aware of how attractive they were.
Snowe bowed his head slightly as the family sat down with them. To Lunal, he returned a pleasant smile and a nod as she sat next to him. Until now, he had thought he was the youngest of the dark elves gathered in this village, but it seemed he had been proven wrong. She was a beautiful woman, Lunal and her sisters alike. In a certain sense, he wasn’t quite sure how to react to a woman of his kind so close to his age. Many he had met thus far were much older than him, and with whom he had only interacted with under combat related circumstances. Even so, if there was anything he knew, it was being courteous to women. He quickly redirected his attention back to the subject at hand. Of course, the three sisters were all lovely, but now it was only a matter now of which was best suited for the occasion. Snowe continued to listen to the exchange of words, contented to speak when spoken to or otherwise compelled to.
Urolia frowned down at her hands folded in her lap. “You want to put them in danger?” she asked.
“No, no, there shouldn’t be a high risk of danger,” Myrela assured the mother. “Besides, she won’t be serving Thrash, but me—only by association will she be aiding Thrash’s cause.”
Urolia sighed and looked at her three lovely daughters. “Which of you will go then?”
The girls looked between themselves, waiting for one of them to make a decision. Finally, it was Vanaia who raised her hand slightly. “I will do it,” she said.
Myrela inclined her head toward the young shamaness. “Very well,” she replied. “But what skills do you have?”
“I am a skilled shaman and herbalist. I can fight with a rapier, but the spirits have always been my strong point,” the young woman explained.
With a nod, Myrela turned her attention back to the parents. “Well, Irindril, Urolia, what do you say?”
“If it is what she wishes, I will not object,” Irindril responded, and Urolia nodded in agreement.
“Then you had best prepare now, Vanaia. I intend to send you out as soon as possible,” Myrela said, turning her gaze back on the middle girl.
“Give me an hour, and I will be ready,” Vanaia replied.
“Then meet us at the north gate of the village. Thank you for your time,” the ranger said to the family, then stood. “Come along, Snowe. I have a job for you as well,” she added as she headed toward the door.
Raising himself from the chair he had taken, Snowe headed toward the door. Though, before leaving, he felt obligated to offer some words to his hosts and turned back to the family gathered round. He brought a hand to his breast and bowed as he spoke, “We deeply thank you for this favor. Your kindness will not soon be forgotten.”
With that, he followed Myrela out the door, every one of his actions nothing more than what was necessary and respectful of him. Snowe then addressed the words of his commanding officer as they pressed on, “Yes, of course. What would you have me do?”
As Myrela and Snowe walked out, the elder ranger explained; “I will need someone to relay information between Vanaia and myself while she is in the camp. Since you’re already here, I might ask well as you to do that. I need you to leave with Vanaia to find the camp, and once she works her way in, come back to tell me.”
“Certainly,” he replied, “I will do that gladly. How ought she be presented when brought into his camp?” Snowe knew quite well that though Vanaia was a woman, she was surely strong, as all dark elven woman are, though he couldn’t help concerning himself with the welfare of lady, especially now that she was going to be a comrade. “Should I remain on the sidelines undetected when I take her, or rather should I make my presence known?”
“Stay out of sight. I expect that none of Thane’s company would harm her so long as she poses no threat,” Myrela replied.
The two rangers arrived at the village gate, and did not have to wait long for Vanaia to join them. Soon, the beautiful female dark elf was walking up to them, dressed in a fitted, but otherwise modest long violet dress with white and silver accents. A rarely used and elegant elven rapier hung from a belt at her waist, and she had a small white satchel slung across her chest.
“I am ready to depart when you are, Snowe,” she said as she approached, bowing her head politely to the dark elven boy.
“Very well,” he replied to Vanaia with a slight bow. Snowe turned to his commanding officers as he continued. “Then we shall embark. I’ll see that she safely makes her way into Thane’s camp. At which point, I will thus return my report.” He nodded at Myrela before turning his back and gesturing Vanaia to follow him. In all his actions he was very much emotionless and yet sufficient as he began striding toward his destination.
Vanaia nodded to Snowe and began to follow the young dark elf out of the village. As they left the gates behind them, the female spoke up; “What can you tell me about this new ally of Thrash’s?”
“Not much. I know that he is quite pompous and reticent of stepping down and allowing Thrash to take command of all our efforts. He’s about as rude as humans come. None of us are sure whether we can trust him or not. That’s where you come in...” Snowe made his way through the darkness, both his speech and movements silent. After a long while of walking, he spoke once more. Without realizing it, his voice was somewhat hushed as he continued, as though he were telling Vanaia a grand secret. “It has also come to our attention that he has some experience with dark elves.”
The dark elven woman walked along, carrying herself with an air of regality and confidence. “Hmph,” Vanaia scoffed at the description. “Do we know who any of these dark elves might be?” she asked Snowe. She speak quite as low as he did, but she kept her voice at a gentle purr.
“Not by name,” he replied, adjusting himself to walk beside her, “but we have heard that he was raised by a dark elf woman. He claims she had relations to his human father. I’m not certain if the circumstances could create some kind of development, but I suppose it means that he is not entirely unacquainted with our kind. If anything, it may be something to keep in mind.” Snowe turned away from her as he walked, unsure of how to change the subject.
Vanaia nodded. Perhaps he even knows the dark elven language, I’ll have to be careful, she thought. “Well, thank you for you insight, Snowe,” Vanaia said. He answered all the questions she had for now, and so they continued on to find Thane’s camp.
When they finally found the location, Vanaia and Snowe stopped just out of sight. They had avoided a few scout patrols in the forest. Hidden in the woods, they could see the entrance to his camp, so now was time to part and say goodbyes. “I’ll meet you at that big boulder we passed on the way in tonight, alright?” Vanaia said to Snowe, crouching behind bushes. “Just keep an eye on me to make sure that I don’t have any problems getting in first.”
“Very well,” Snowe replied, crouching beside her silently. “I’ll stay here and watch in case of trouble. For the sake of this mission, I will only come to your aide if it is entirely necessary. Please do your best.” He nodded to her as he continued, “I will return to check on you just before the dawn when it is still dark. Good luck, Vanaia.”
“Thank you,” she replied to Snowe with a smile. With that, the dark elf stepped out into the forest and made her way to the entrance of the camp, making herself known by the guards. She was able to convince them to let her in, though she wouldn’t have to lie too much about her mission...
