K: MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!! : )

Last of the Water Elves

By: K

A waterfall was heard in the distance. Laughter followed. Could it be? Did there lived children in the forest? No. Impossible. Who would want to live here? Who would be able to live here? But still. He was not mistaken. There were childish voices. Singing, laughing.

He slowly, silently crept closer. Needing to see what he heard whit his own eyes.

And he saw. Indeed he saw. Thirteen girls were swimming in the lake. Splashing water to each other. Smiles on there faces.

They looked strange. Pointed ears. Wonderful blue or green eyes and blond hair. Full of grace. And a beauty no human possessed. Who were they? And then it struck him. Elves. They were Elves.

No, impossible! They all died a long, long time ago. After the Last War. Not one had survived it. Or so everybody thought…

But why did they live here alone? Why did they not join the people anymore? They had always lived in real harmony.

As a little boy he had played with Elves. When the Last War began, he was thirteen, they disappeared. Died, like everybody thought. Ever after that, he had thought that he had imagined everything. All the grown up people had told him that there were no Elves. That they never existed. And he had believed them. Although if he admitted it, in his heart he never did. Now he remembered the times he spent with them. Valdaglerion always took him with them. To this waterfall. Playing in the water. Enjoying the sun. He remembers now. Those times. It weren’t dreams… Why did it have to end?

Out of the distance he heard the voices silencing. Meaning they had seen him. How would they react? Would they start screaming? Would they run?

He slowly returned to reality. His sight focusing on the Elf-girls before him. They were staring at him. Just staring. Nothing could be seen in there eyes. No worries, no scared feelings, no happiness, nothing. Just cold eyes watching him. They were on their guard, but they were not unfriendly… Of course they were not. Elves are friendly creatures… However, after everything that had happened, it was strange to see that they didn’t fear him, that they weren’t scared or angry. Vaguely his mind had registered that, but it didn’t seem to slip through.

The girls looked at each other, at the man before them. And then, suddenly, one of them stepped out of the water. Approaching the man before them.

“Are you alright? You seem to be far off. What is there? Out in the distance where you are now?”

Her voice was soft and light like the wind. It was music. Enchanting. Beautiful. He found he could do nothing else but answer her. Even though he wasn’t planning on answering.

“Memories. So many memories. Things that are and things that once were. Why did it have to end? Why is it all gone? I miss them. Wish I could be with them once more. Even if it was only a minute. Just to see them again. It would be great.”

His voice was a hoarse whisper. Tears had appeared in his eyes. But they would not fall. He wouldn’t let them.

She smiled. The cold distanced look gone. She was shining. It was as if she knew it. Knew what he was talking about. And then, without a warning she turned around, walking ‘till she stood next to her friends again.

“What would you do if your wish was granted…?”

The soft voice of a memory so long ago.

He slowly turned around. Looking in magnificent green orbs. Orbs he had never forgotten, even if everybody told him it wasn’t true. Orbs he would never forget. How could he forget? Those orbs had hunted his dreams.

“I would wish that it would never end…”

A strange look appeared at the Elf’s face.

“And what if this all was just a dream? What if you wake up later, and they tell you that it was a dream, that it wasn’t true. What if you think yourself that it was all a dream…?”

Alsander just stared at him. Thinking about the words his friend had spoken. It was true. It was like before. After the Last War. When they had disappeared.

“Then I wish that it would never end. If this is a dream, don’t let me wake up. Let me stay here. Don’t let me alone again. Don’t leave me again…”

His voice sounded so strange by the tears he was holding back.

The Elf before him smiled. His own, unique smile. The smile of his friend. Valdaglerion …

They greeted each other. The way they always did. The way of friends.

“It isn’t a dream, is it?”

Valdaglerion shook his head gently.

“It never was a dream Alsander… Never a dream…”

He nodded. Disappointed but happy at the same time.

The Elf saw it and immediately knew what was going through his friend’s head.

“They just wanted to protect you… During the Last War, and after it, everybody who even mentioned to have any kind of connection with Elves, would have been killed. They just cared for you…”

Alsander looked amazed at him. Not understanding why those people should have been killed.

“We were dangerous to their eyes. Our gifts… They didn’t trust us. We can do things you humans can’t. They don’t like that. We are so different from your race. They hate things they don’t know. Our gifts… For them it was magic. Forbidden, dangerous. Because they couldn’t understand it.”

The man nodded. He knew. Knew that the Elves were different, that they could do things that were way beyond his imagination.

“Like this…? Knowing what I feel, want to say or ask…?”

Valdaglerion shook his head.

“Partly… We can feel strong emotions, but we can’t read minds… The expression on your face said enough most of the times…”

Alsander smiled. He knew he was easily readable.

“Like we’re used to…”

The voice even softer than in his dreams and memories. Had it always been this beautiful?

He looked aside. She was still as he remembered. Ice blue orbs. Sparkling. Blond hair. Flying around, even though there was almost no wind. A beauty beyond words. A smile where you could draw in.

“Vanlanthiriel…”

He slowly walked closer. His hand reaching out. But he hesitated halfway the air.

Could he do it? Could he really touch her?

She still smiled. A bit sadder than before, but the sparkles in her eyes were still there.

Instead of waiting until he had made up his mind, she gently took his hand. Guiding it ever so slowly to her face. They both couldn’t breathe for some seconds. The tension was there. They couldn’t escape it. So many memories, so many things had happened. They had shared so much. When his fingers touched her check, they both felt the bond again. The connection that had always been there. Vanlanthiriel closed her eyes. Enjoying the touch, letting the feeling fill her whole. She felt Alsander doing the same. Time seemed to stand still. They heard nothing. Not the children playing in the water. Not the wind breathing through the leaves. Not Valdaglerion who silently walked away to the lake. Nothing could break this moment.

/I missed you…/ Soft whispered Elvish words.

But he heard it. He understood it. After all, how many days didn’t he spent with the Elves before the Last War…?

They looked in each others eyes. A magical moment.

Alsander slowly leaned closer until their noses met. Their foreheads leaned against each other. Their breathing mixed.

The kiss was gentle, pure, soft, sweet… Like the first one so many years ago. Heaven…

They slowly pulled away. Just looking at each other. Taking in every detail of the other’s face.

Why did they have to miss each other for so long? It wasn’t fair.

“Why… Why didn’t you return? Why didn’t you let me know you were still alive? Why didn’t you tell me it wasn’t a dream?”

Vanlanthiriel closed her eyes. Knowing that it had hurted him a lot. Knowing that she could do nothing to make that pain disappear.

“I couldn’t tell you… If I ever came near you, you would have been killed… I couldn’t have lived with that. Even living without you is better than living with the knowledge that I am the reason of your death. Can’t you understand?”

Alsander just looked at her. The sparkles in her eyes had disappeared. He did understand. Of course. He would have done the same. But he had missed them so much… But than again, so did she…

“Did you watch me? Did you look after me?”

His sudden small smile told her he already knew the answer, so she just nodded.

“I knew it. I don’t know why, I don’t know if it’s even possible, but I felt it. I felt that some one was ‘protecting’ me… Somehow I immediately thought of you. But every time your name came in my head, I thought I was dreaming again. But it was you…”

Soft steps on the grass announced Valdaglerion’s arrival again.

“Of course it was her…”

Alsander looked aside.

“And not only her if I’m right. You too. Thank you my friend.”

Valdaglerion just bowed his head lightly.

The children had silently followed the green-eyed Elf. And were now waiting.

Alsander looked questioningly. What were they all waiting for?

/Time to go home…/

As on command all the Elf-children ran forwards. Into the protection of the high trees.

“Is this yet another goodbye?”

Alsander’s voice sounded as if it would break. Vanlanthiriel and Valdaglerion changed knowing looks.

“Only if you want it to be…”

He looked surprised from the Elf-girl to the Elf. Did they mean…

A soft laughter escaped the blue-eyed girl’s lips. “Of course. The choice is entirely yours. You can join us, or you can go back to your village. It’s completely up to you…”

Has she gone mad? Return to that damned village when I can live with you guys…? I don’t even have to think about my answer.

They both smiled broadly, already knowing his answer.

He just smiled back.

“What are we waiting for…? Let’s go…”

And they do. Walking in the forest. Staying together from now on. They would never be separated again… For the simple reason that living without each other isn’t possible. Each one of them had died a little bit after the Last War. But they would heal. Time, love and friendship would make it all alright again.

The End

Vanlanthiriel : Beautiful waterfall
(Vahn-lahn-theer-ee-ell)

Valdaglerion : Worthy of praise
(Vahl-dah-glare-ee-on)