Mae fourteenth, 1453 A.F.: Gaidric Plains, Maers (formerly Aorth)

Goblin capitol city Maelstroen

The brightly decorated Goblin court quickly dispersed as they saw the look upon their king’s face. Julian was far from happy, and everyone remembered last time the goblin lost his temper- Lord Mason Kuamnaff the Third of the Western Shrin still couldn’t walk straight.

Once the last lords and ladies had exited the immense, overly furnished room a blood-curdling scream of unadulterated fury tore through the air. Those blasted elves had again beaten back the forces at Aelstrom, the southernmost trading city in the slowly diminishing Elfish Empire. How was Julian to gain both thrones if his pathetic armies were unable to capture a single, near-defenseless city?

Pondering the prospect of raising an indestructible army of the undead, Julian did not hear when a tall, fair woman entered the room. His dark, near black eyes momentarily widened with surprise at the Lady Estelle’s audacity. No one had the right to interrupt the sovereign’s thoughts and wonderings, not even family; if a single exception were made then more and more would soon follow. Unfortunately for the troubled ruler, Stella couldn’t seem to grasp that concept.

“ What are you doing here? I don’t recall saying that you had permission to enter.” The hostility on the already irritated monarch’s face grew as Estelle confidently strode forward without any sign of fear- or respect. Again, as many times before, she saw the most efficient way to anger Julian and utilized it.

Julian was about to call in guards, but was interrupted by Stella, who seemed to be using her pale floor-length hair as a shield. How ridiculous she seemed before beginning her verbal assault.

“Greatest, most Honorable King,” the deep, mocking voice seemed ill fitted to the person speaking, “Perhaps you forget the face of you ever so beloved sister? I simply must to remind you.” With that, the Goblin woman closed what small distance had remained between her and the throne upon which Julian sat, her bright cerulean eyes dancing with laughter at her brother’s expense.

“How can I forget that which I so strongly detest? As if it isn’t enough for you to haunt my waking hours, you bring nightmares whenever I shut my eyes. One might go so far as to think that you had been using your Gift.” The despicable excuse of a woman had the ability to reach into another’s dreams and memories. Without fail, the thoughts caused Julian to give a slight shiver. A cold, uncongenial smile formed on Estelle’s once beautiful face, long since marred by malice.

“My dearest, most treasured brother, does that mean that you don’t want to hear of the new disturbance that I have discovered?” Her smile widened as Julian rose to his nearly seven-foot height. A flicker of something akin to fear shone in his eyes before he could stop it. “Are you…afraid?” Estelle whispered as she began to slowly circle her brother.

“What disturbance?” asked the troubled Goblin, ignoring the second question. Fighting the elves was already difficult enough, especially with the outer regions of the realm rebelling on a steady basis. The last thing that the king needed was another threat. All of these worries were beginning to take their toll on the young monarch, who had only taken control of the Goblin civilization three years ago, at the age of sixteen. Deep creases appeared on Julian’s brow as he frowned.

“There is a Shifter.” Impossible.

“What exactly do you mean by ‘shifter’? This had better not be another of your twisted jokes, my beloved sister, or it’ll be your head.” A little harsh, but lenience was not an option at this point in time. The war was going bad, and a shifter could change the tides. But the last shifter had died over seven centuries ago with the end of the Faeries’ domination of Aorth, the former name of the divided world of Maers. There could be no more.

Estelle pouted at the word ‘joke’, but her brother took no notice.

“While searching the memories of some recently acquired humans, I found something quite interesting.” She stopped and delivered another frosty smile before sitting in the recently evacuated throne.

Stella knew well how much Julian hated to ask people for things, how weak and dependant it made him feel. But she also knew how curious her brother would be; it was one of his life-long ambitions to know everything. This war was important to him, and he would win by any means necessary. The woman’s amusement grew as the king alternately clenched and unclenched his jaw. It was killing him to ask Estelle for anything, but both knew that no threat could force the Lady to speak until she chose. Swallowing his pride, Julian allowed some desire to creep into his voice. He needed to know.

“What. Did. You. Find.” each word, though spoken in a strained polite voice, was obviously screaming contempt. His forced question was followed by a dark chuckle. Estelle reveled in the barely controlled hatred so carefully restrained behind that Goblin face. Victory was to be gloated upon, but now was not the time; her power was in jeopardy.

“A boy that was taken a few years ago was dreaming of an extremely odd experience. Apparently he stumbled upon Veston, the last male Faery, bestowing a gift unto a human girl. While searching the boy’s memories, all I could find was that her name is Tessa Hedei. To be sure that she still lives, I also checked some of the more recently acquired slaves, and found out a little more about the girl. She is near her fifteenth year; only around five and a half feet tall; has short, messily cut brownish hair- near to the color of a doe’s pelt; apparently has very few, if any, friends; and was orphaned around three years ago.” She paused for a moment, allowing herself a breath to contain her excitement. A shifter would be dangerous, yes, but the games would indeed be interesting.

“Before you ask, I looked for-and found- the signs of a shifter, as described by the specter Aaron. I know that you don’t trust him, but he was right! His prophecy of the shifter’s revival has come to pass!” Stella was growing red in the face with blatant anticipation as she finished her short speech.

“Are you absolutely certain that you saw Veston? There could be no mistake?” there was little hope of that, but something like this cannot leave room for any doubts.

The hurt look on Estelle’s face threw Julian; Stella was never hurt! Not unless her intelligence was insulted, Julian silently chided himself. Stella was many things, but stupid was most definitely not one of them.

“There could be absolutely no doubt, sire. I would never forget the faces of Veston or Emile.” Julian knew too well the truth of his sister’s statement. He had seen the last two faeries, and indeed neither would nor could forget their unreal faces.

To most beings, an elf is viewed as perfection, unsurpassable in grace and charm. But for those privileged few who had ever seen a faery, they would look upon an elf as a beast, hardly worthy of the term ‘beauty’.

“Very well, Stella. I believe you. Now can you tell me where to find this shifter?” An almost hungry look passed over the king’s features at the thought of such a powerful weapon. The topmost priority of his home-defense forces would now be the retrieval of Tessa Hedei, before the Elves even know she really exists. For a moment Julian paused, and then began impatiently pacing before Stella, who was still seated in his throne. Estelle, for her part, was squirming ever so slightly, like she didn’t want to say something unpleasant.

“Well,” she began, “Here’s where a gray area seems to pop up.” She attempted to smile, but stopped at the look she received from Julian. Gods don’t let him kill me, she silently prayed before continuing. “You see, when our soldiers raid a village for slaves, the knock out their inhabitants before blindfolding and gagging them.”

Julian was confused for a moment, why do the methods for the slave recovery process matter? The realization hit him as Stella finished her explanation.

“And you know that none of the human villages are named, we just assign them numbers based on their reproduction rates. That leaves us with the problem of them not knowing the number assigned, or how they got here.”

“So basically, the girl can be anywhere in the realm.” A flat tone entered Julian’s voice as another thought hit him. If this village was on the Elf Woodland Border, the Elves could also claim the shifter for themselves. A stream of curses flowed through the sovereign’s mind as he realized that if the Elves also knew about Tessa, then it was now a race to see who could find her first.

Estelle rose from the throne and crossed the room to the area that Julian had unknowingly been walked over to; he was so wrapped up in his thoughts. The Goblin woman, for the first time ever, gently hugged her royal sibling before quietly leaving. Even being the trouble-seeker that she was, Stella knew the gravity of what she had just revealed to Julian.

Stepping into the marble hallway, Estelle made her way to the record room, where records of all slave births and deaths were kept. With luck, the search wouldn’t take too long. Poor girl, Stella mused, her life is going to be hell once we find her.

Silence enveloped the room as Julian again seated himself in the sickeningly majestic throne, plotting: first, to capture the girl, second, to defeat those damnable Elves at Aelstrom. Little did he know that not thirty miles away his precious shifter was being shoved in the mud.



Mae fourteenth 1453 A.F.: Gaidric Plains, Maers (formerly Aorth)

Human Village

“I hate you!” shrieked the round teenage girl, attempting to get up from where she had been pushed down into the mud. The thin blonde girl that the statement was directed toward simply sneered in return.

“You stupid, fat twit!” that was cruel, “Do you honestly think I care how you feel? Tessa, honey, you’re going to pay for the damages to my dress one way,” evil smirk, “or another.”

Bekah was not the most intelligent person, but she was attractive, and if she wanted something done, then the young men in the village would do it for her.

But what Tessa didn’t understand was why she had to pay for the stupid dress. Two weeks ago the girls had been in a fight by the stream behind Fran the Healer’s house. Bekah had tried to push Tessa into the water, and the girl had merely grabbed the front of Bekah’s dress for support, effectively tearing it. It just so happened that Andrew, the Baker’s son, and Adrian, the Tailor’s son, were walking by and saw Bekah in her underwear. How was Tessa to be blamed for a coincidence? But the girl had to admit that in nearly fifteen years, she had never seen anyone’s face turn so red. That thought alone made the current trouble nearly worth it.

“Do you want to know what you can do with that hideous dress of yours?” Tessa asked in a sickly sweet voice, while thinking of all the nasty things she could do to the self-appointed princess. Bekah didn’t wait for the answer before smacking Tessa across the face as hard as her little body could manage.

Both girls paused for a moment, and were about to launch into another of their numerous fights when Maria entered the clearing that had unofficially been claimed by the two rivals.

Maria, the local dancer, had adopted Tessa into her home after the accident that had taken the lives of the rest of the Hedei family. Ten years the girl’s elder, Maria provided food and shelter on the condition that Tessa never fight with the other children in the village, no matter how they may try to provoke her. Hence the terror apparent on the girl’s face.

“Is there a problem?” Maria’s musical voice queried, a hurt look in her bright blue eyes. Bekah looked at the redheaded dancer in disgust, all fun lost now that they were discovered.

“No, Maria, there is no problem.” The use of the dancer’s name was a sign of disrespect. In the village all adults were addressed by their profession. For instance, Andrew’s father was Baker, Adrian’s father was Tailor, and Bekah herself was on the way to becoming Seamstress. At one point in time Tessa’s father had been Blacksmith. The memory nearly brought tears to the orphan’s eyes, even after so many years. But only nearly, and the feeling was quickly suppressed.

“Then I suggest you return to the Village, Bekah. Your father and sister are looking for you.” All present knew that Bekah’s drunk father and obnoxious elder sister couldn’t care less about her; but since there was no proof of a lie, Bekah had no choice but to leave. Sometimes, when Tessa was in a compassionate mood, the girl would pity her nemesis for having such a crummy family. But then she would remember that at least Bekah had a family.

Before disappearing behind the trees, the neglected child, for that’s all Bekah really was, shot a dirty look at Tessa, which was received with the grace gained from years of experience.

“Care to explain what was going on?” an edge crept into the dancer’s voice. Her trust had been betrayed, and she wanted to know why.

A pitiful expression covered Tessa’s face. Every fight she had had the fear of being caught, and now that fear had been realized. Maria now had every right to throw the girl out, but would she? The dancer had been the only one in the entire village to offer the orphan a home, would she leave Tessa alone on the streets again, to beg for every meal, just like last time? Please, no, Tessa silently prayed, don’t let me lose another home.

“I am extremely disappointed in you.” Maria’s voice had become dangerously low, but every word was unmistakable. Tessa could only ever remember the dancer this upset when the girl had accidentally dropped all of the best costumes into the river. For three months Maria wouldn’t let Tessa touch any of the dancing equipment. But that wasn’t nearly as bad a punishment as hearing that the surrogate mother was ‘disappointed’.

Tessa forced herself to think of something happy; to avoid being to hurt by what was sure to follow. The girl decided to focus on her last birthday, on which Maria had thrown a surprise party. Of course, the only people to come were the village children, but it was still fun. If the girl recalled correctly, Jesse, the Butcher’s daughter, went home that day with half of the cake on her small head and a huge smile on her face.

Thinking of the good times brought thoughts of the bad, and the secrets. Perhaps it was finally tell the truth, about everything. No more hiding what happened, why her family wasn’t around today, or what Tessa feared she really was.

“Maria-“ Tessa tried to begin, before being silenced by the wave of a hand.

“No. You agreed to my terms before I let you in my house. I would feed and clothe you. I would put a roof over your head. But I specifically remember saying: ‘You will not be allowed to live with me if you insist on fighting.’ Violence leads only to more violence. Honestly Tessa, you were raised to be better than this. If your parents were alive, what would they say?” Maria paused after the delicate subject of Tessa’s family, which usually caused the girl to break down and cry. But looking at her now, all Maria saw was a teenage girl hanging her head in shame; not a crying child, yet not quite a reserved adult.

The dancer reached out to put a hand on Tessa’s shoulder, but she only pulled away at the woman’s touch.

Sighing, Maria summed up her speech, “Tessa, darling, I’ll give you a couple weeks to find a new home.” With those final words, Maria turned east and left the clearing, returning to her one-room cottage at the edge of the woods, secluded nearly two miles from the rest of the village.

Just once, Tessa wished that she had used her cursed ‘Gift’ when she was warned. If just the slightest shift had been made, the nose or ear perhaps, then Tessa would have been warned of the dancer’s approach. But Tessa had again ignored her new instincts in favor of fighting Bekah. Worse yet was the knowledge that, had the fight taken place, then the girl would have changed- sharpening her teeth and nails in order to win.

She messed up again. How many people would the girl have to lose to be happy? What was the cost of her happiness?

With a sigh, the girl shifted into one of her most familiar shapes, a silver wolf, and began the mile-long trek back home. To Maria’s home. Stopping twenty yards short of the house, Tessa shifted back to her original form and continued on her way, all the while thinking of all the good times spent with her dear friend, Maria.



Mae twenty-first, 1453 A.F.: Gaidric Plains, Maers (formerly Aorth)

Goblin capitol city Maelstroen

“Julian, may I speak with you for a moment?” Stella quickly pulled her brother away form today’s complaining merchant. These business types aren’t happy until they make you bleed your last drop, thought Julian with a mental shrug, at least today only one of the stupid Goblins had even dared to approach him during his walk through the market. The two royal siblings turned a corner into an abandoned alleyway.

“Julian, I’ve found her.” The Goblin king didn’t have to ask who ‘she’ was, because for the last week the shifter, and the possibility that the Elves would find her first had plagued his dreams. But now Stella could lead the sovereign to the weapon that would cause Goblin victory and domination.

“Where?” Once the location was secured, a small force of reserve soldiers would be sent to escort the girl back to Maelstroen, as well as a few new slaves- only two or three were needed in the kitchen, and Stella had been asking for a new chambermaid.

Estelle subtly shifted from foot to foot for a moment before answering. The difficult part for her was how to phrase the information so as not to… upset Julian. He was about ready to explode already for having to wait so long, and though under normal circumstances she would love to set him off on a rage, this particular circumstance was anything but normal.

“You can imagine my surprise at finding her in the village near the fork of the Parlent River.” An uneasy smile tugged at the woman’s lips in a futile attempt to soften the words.

Stella silently cursed herself for fearing her own brother, if only temporarily; but no one could really expect otherwise, after all, Julian was a very physical person that had trouble expressing his anger in constructive ways. At least that was what the former Royal Psychologist had said before being thrown out a three-story window. He was very nice, thought Estelle before snapping back to the present, where the king was screaming his head off. Near literally.

“SHE’S THAT CLOSE!” Julian’s outburst caused over half of the population in the crowded marketplace to flinch. “ALL OF THIS TIME TO FIND A HUMAN NOT EVEN A DAY’S RIDE AWAY?”

Furious could not even begin to describe the raw emotion passing through the king and his palace, a building that had been enchanted to always reflect the mood of its master. Needless to say, every last stone in the structure was turning from normal gray to the deepest, most complete black ever imaginable. Not a very good sign. The young king stormed off to find Aneras, Captain of the few soldiers left in the city.

Within the hour a small company of Goblin soldiers was assembled and sent to retrieve the shifter. The group was due to attack just before the following dawn, and return in no later than two days. No problems were expected, even though the village was right on the border. Another thing for Julian to consider- why was the capitol city so close to the forest that separated the two warring Races?

For the first time in a long time, Julian allowed himself a full night’s sleep, without any sign of a nightmare, closing his mind to issues with the locations of cities, shifters and slaves. Unfortunately, plans don’t always go as well as hoped.



Mae twenty-first, 1453 A.F.: Gaidric Plains, Maers (formerly Aorth)

Human Village

“Get in position and wait for my signal to attack.” The Goblin Captain Aneras watched in pride as his two-dozen foot soldiers silently circled the village. Settling in for the next few hours, the beastly creature daydreamed of the killing soon to take place. Little did he know of the true massacre soon to come.

As the sun’s first rays poured over the horizon, the Captain and his troops began their attack.