Raenilar Refuses Ferdahl’s Offer of Peace
(278 Moliko375)
Warrior Prince Raenilar’s group came through a silver arch, into the Great Tower of Shard’s Hall of Feasts. There the Ferdahl was holding a celebration after the victorious Ilithi and Zoluren fight for the old Fortress outside of Shard where the goblin Grishnok and the pirate Jourok had held up.
In attendance were many of the military who helped at the battle, Prince Fayne of the Mountain Elves, members of the Ferdahl’s Court and guard, and of course the Ferdahl.Warrior Prince Raenilar Celendron is a young-looking Elf with milky blue eyes. He has golden brown hair that is short and wavy; this night, it was worn tied back. On his tanned skin there are tatoos; the right side of his neck there was a tattoo of a flame-wreathed roaring lion over a glass tower that tapered to a fine point. A swirling column of sand ascended from the base of the tower and a pair of scales, one bearing a sword and the other an olive laurel, were balanced precariously at its apex. A single bolt of blue lightning descended from a storm-grey cloud in the background.
He wore a lion’s tooth, an intricately carved ebony longbow, a gold coronet inset with a trio of fire opals, a kyanite gwethdesuan, a jadeite gwethdesuan, some darkened brown battle leathers emblazoned with a flame-wreathed lion, a cobraskin sheath wrapped with leather ties in a criss-cross pattern, some supple leather pants with dark silk bindings, a midnight blue silk shirt with deep crimson sleeves, an azure-scaled sheath wrapped with leather ties in a criss-cross pattern, some leather gloves emblazoned with a flame-wreathed lion, a scarlet leather belt studded with copper rivets and circles of polished jet, a leather quiver embroidered with a flame-wreathed lion, a red leather knapsack with spidersilk laces adorned with jet scorpion charms and a pair of calf-high black leather boots clasped with silver buckles.
Egolan and Yhaman, the visitors who have been around a while, attended the Warrior Prince.
Raenilar nodded to Kukalakai and said, “Ferdahl. I have heard you were of a mind to speak with me.”
Kukalakai turned her head, regarding Raenilar with great interest and said to Raenilar, “Sir, I was. I think we share some history.”
Raenilar replied, “We share a great deal of history. That history is why we are here, and now.”
Kukalakai said to him, “It is time and past time we spoke, I think.”
Raenilar asked, “Do you believe you might say something, that would balance 600 years of history?”
Kukalakai responded back to Raenilar, “I was not born at the time you speak of. No more were you, I think. Can we not make right what our ancestors could not?”
Observers saw Egolan shake some sand from his boots; which is an insult in some parts of the world. Whether or not it is to these Northerners is unknown.
Raenilar continued his conversation with the Ferdahl, “Indeed we can, Ferdahl. Indeed we can. But there is nothing you could offer, upon behalf of yourself or your people, that could hope to change the results of 600 years of existence.”
Kukalakai asked Raenilar, “Our people have turned from war whenever they have choice. We believe in the arts of peace and a generous understanding. Will you speak with me of setting aside old hurts?”
Raenilar laughed at that. There was an uncomfortable hush in the room as the Ferdahl Kukalakai regarded him evenly, meeting his gaze without looking away.
“What use war, when simple banishment shall suffice?” he asked. “When you do not have what you or your kind desire?” Raenilar fixed Kukalakai with a serene, lofty stare.
Kukalakai said to Raenilar, “That is bitterness and the wrongs of the past speaking through you. I offer a hand of…reparation, at least, if you will not accept friendship.”
Prince Fayne told Kukalakai, “There is no need to apologize for what transpired. Shard was built by Morganae and Corik and it stands for greatness this day.”
Raenilar responded, “The chains that have bound us since the founding of this city are strained. They are stretched to their limit, and I have broken the first of them — those that bind myself. Very soon, I will return to our people, those who were Outcast from this land so your bloodline could have this city. I shall return there, and tear asunder those bonds forged so long ago. You wish reparation? There is no reparation you can offer. Our lands and freedoms were taken. The only reparation, also, is that which can be taken.”
When Raenilar had finished speaking, Kukalakai first spoke to Fayne, “Shard is worth the blood in my veins and the rest of my years and I grudge nothing to her. But sometimes, a wrong can be amended.”
Fayne agreed with Kukalakai, “Yes a wrong can be ammended.”
Kukalakai turned to Raenilar, “Then, sir, you will compound the wrong done to your fathers and mothers. And you will be as wrong now as my forebears may have been then.”
Raenilar said, “Weak words, from a weak bloodline — one that chose to do nothing about these ‘wrongs’ until brought face to face with them.”
Kukalakai straightened further and fixed Raenilar with an imperious gaze, “Once more, I say – take my hand. I will seet myself to meet my grandfather’s debt to you. If you do not – then you force me and my people, and there can be no peace between us, no friendship and no grace.”
Yhaman was overheard saying quietly said to Egolan, “We waste time, the longer we speak, the longer it takes to return.”
Fayne spoke to Kukalakai, “You are kind to offer your sympathies to these… desert dwellers. However you have nothing to apologize for.”
Raenilar said, “We have survived for longer than this city has with neither your peace, friendship, nor grace. We will continue to survive that way. Will you? Prepare yourself, Ferdahl, for our prophesies draw near. Prepare yourself, Commanders, because your times shall change, and you shall have change with them.”
Kukalakai stared at Raenilar, disregarding his attendants completely. Then she spoke, “So be it. Get you gone from my Tower, you and your people. From the moment you clear the doors of this place, you are hunted enemy. Go, and my sorrow you choose it so.”
Fayne nodded, “Spoken as the Queen should.”
Herrick, guarding and travelling with Prince Fayne, quickly added, “As our Queen would have.”
Raenilar told the Ferdahl, “We shall leave this place. Pray your words will make a difference.”
Kukalakai sighed as Warrior Prince Raenilar’s group went through a silver arch and out of the tower. His group was given safe passage escort through Ilithi, Zoluren and Therengia.