PRINCESS RIVERSONG BEAMAFFOREST OF THE ELF EMPIRE

Chapter Two: The Angel in Disguise

“Rawck! My lady master!”

Dear spirits of the forest, what did Windhowl want this time?

I sighed deeply trying to be patient. Today was off to a very rocky start for me. My dear brother, Stonecreek, and I had been to the council earlier this morning. The members of the council had put more than enough stress on my brother. They complained about the recent demon attacks near the Yazui River. It was the largest river in the whole entire kingdom and our main source of water supply.

Evidently, the Goryans and the Calacujians were trying to demolish our border’s ‘weak’ defense. The council members demanded to have something be done soon before the demons made their way into our empire. The answer was simple. We needed a better defensive wall. The apparent task was hard. What defensive design would be better than the rest? We have nearly tried them all! Oh, what were we going to do?

“My lady master! Princess Riversong!” Windhowl squawked as he landed in front of my brother and I with a loud thud. He flapped his big wings trying to stay balanced and flicked his tail. As much as I loved my dear pet, I must admit he was rather clumsy. Back at the palace, Windhowl was always running into and knocking things over. He fell sometimes because the tile was slick underneath his feet. I believed his wings and feet were much too large for his lean body.

“What is it, Windhowl?” Stonecreek inquired impatiently, his dark brown eyes glowering, “My sister and I are heading back to our home to research defense mechanisms. Speak with haste.”

“Rawck! Of course, my prince!” Windhowl squeaked, his cat-like eyes wide.

I knew he was a bit weary of my brother, but who could blame him? My sire did not name my brother Stonecreek for any apparent reason. He was stern and cold like a stone, but yet calm like a creek. Bobbing his head, Windhowl said quickly, “I was flying over the Town Square, like I do normally every single day, and I saw these two guards, they are torturing some… eh… creature of sorts! I don’t know what it is! Rawck! It was rather strange looking though! It had grey skin!”

Stonecreek raised an eyebrow at me in perplexity.

“Did you order any punishment for a prisoner, sister?” He asked me.

“No, my brother, I did not.” I replied and then suggested, “Perhaps we should go see what is going on in the Town Square.”

As we walked toward the square, I noticed almost shop in town was deserted. Not even the owners were in their shops with the doors left unlocked. I wonder what caused such an ordeal for everyone to gather in the plaza. What poor creature had been captured? When I heard the loud and pitiful screams from the square, I felt my skin crawl. Now, since I was in the back of the crowd I could hear the crack of a whip striking flesh. I looked upon my brother who was standing on top of Windhowl’s back to get a better view of what was taking place. I saw his expression turn to one of complete rage.

What did he see up there?

“Lower you axe! This instant!” Stonecreek ordered angrily, as he hopped off of Windhowl’s back.

The citizens murmured among themselves as they spotted us behind them. The crowd made way for us as we walked toward the center of the square. Some of our people looked concerned and others looked disgusted or horrified. I followed behind my brother till we were through the crowd of our people. Windhowl was by my side, blinking his large jade eyes in curiosity. At the sight before me, I gasped in complete and utter shock. The poor creature the guards had been torturing was… was…

It was a drow!

“Your highnesses.” Timberbellow said as he bowed formally, getting down on his right knee.

“What in the name of great Mother Nature is going on here?!” My brother exclaimed with an angry frown on his face. He saw the bloody and dying drow on the ground and he backed up in repulsion. He motioned at the drow and questioned the guards, “What is this drow doing here?”

“My prince, he was found on our land near the Yazui River.” Roaringfalls informed us, “We were seeing to his punishment.”

My gaze met with the poor drow and I could tell he was in extreme pain. Black blood covered him from head to toe. He was lying in a small puddle of his own blood on the ground. His privates were displayed and his entire body was shaking. Whether it was from fear or pain or maybe even both, I felt deep pity for him. Just by looking at him, I knew instantly his leg and arm were broken. He had been stabbed numerous times in the chest. His face appeared it had been burnt badly. I was surprised that he had not died yet from losing so much blood. I spotted the leather whip in Timberbellow’s hand and looked at the raw back of the drow. Anger rose up inside of me like boiling water in a cauldron.

What did this drow do to deserve such brutal punishment?!

“May I remind you, Timberbellow and Roaringfalls that any prisoner must be brought before either us or the council before punishment is delivered.” I spoke coldly and harshly, trying to keep my fists from underneath my long sleeves from shaking in fury. I cannot remember the last time I had been this angry! “For this action, you two are being demoted back to tending to the horse stables. You two are no longer members of the guard.”

“B-But, my p-princess-!” Timberbellow started to object, by my brother interrupted him.

“You dare to argue with my wise sister?” Stonecreek hissed.

Even Windhowl was mad at the guards.

“Rawck!” He squawked as he raised his large, clawed paw, “My lady master is never wrong! She is very smart and very sweet! Apologize! Rawck, rawck!”

“N-No, my prince. Forgive me, my princess.” Timberbellow stuttered, and bowed lower, “I spoke out of term.”

“Another word out of the both of you, and I shall have you exiled.” Stonecreek threatened and narrowed his eyes at the guards. “You receive one chance if you defy the law of this magnificent empire. Do not make me revoke that single chance.”

Timberbellow and Roaringfalls did not get up from their bowing position, hanging their head in shame. They should be ashamed of what they did to this drow. Even though we have had a long history together, captured enemies should be treated with respect. I turned my attention back to the drow, my heart full of pity.

“He’s hurt badly…” I whispered, slowly making my way toward the fallen drow.

As soon as I took my first step toward him, he flinched. He struggled to put weight on his good arm to raise himself up a bit. With his broken arm, he reached out weakly to pull what was left of his clothing over his nether regions. The drow’s blood stained, white hair dangled in front of his face, hiding it from my view. I frowned sadly as I removed my cloak from my shoulders and laid it over him. Soothingly, I brushed his hair out of his face. His face was so swollen and drenched from the blood I could not make out his features entirely. I ran my fingers over the side of his face which was not wounded.

Trying to calm him down, I said, “Do not be afraid. No one will hurt you anymore.”

Before I could say anything else, he passed out. Even in his sleep, his face was twisted into an expression of agony. His chest rose and fell slowly with every breath he took; a slight wheeze was released from his mouth. So many questions flooded my mind about this poor drow. Who was he? Did he come from the Drow Domain? How long would it take him to heal?

“Sister,” My brother called to me, his face returning to unreadable as always, “What do you intend to do with the drow?”

“He shall be placed in my care.” I said, beckoning Windhowl over to me, “Perhaps after he heals, he can tell us his story. He could be of use to us in some ways. We have no clue how the Drow Domain has been for many years. I am certain he would be a good informant for any questions we have.”

“Drows cannot be trusted.” Stonecreek said lowly, his gaze downcast as if he was in deep thought, “They are worshipers of evil spirits and have no respect for life.”

“Do you not think that they believe the same about us?” I said dryly, rolling my eyes, “Besides, my brother… with the drow in this pitiful condition how much danger could he be to us?”

After a few moments, my brother finally responded to me.

“Do as you wish, my dear sister.” Stonecreek then told me with dry humor, “But remember, Riversong, this drow is your responsibility. You must keep him in check at all times. And do not come running and crying to me if he chops off your beautiful hair and tries to sacrifice it to one of his gods.”

I laughed slightly and said, assuring my brother, “Do not worry about me or the drow, Stonecreek.”

Turning to look at Timberbellow and Roaringfalls, I clapped my hands to get their attention. The guards looked up at me quickly, ready to obey any commands. I ordered them, “Pick up this drow and put him on Windhowl. Then go to the stables and make sure the horses have everything they need. The stable master will inform you of what he needs you to do. Also, go into the forest and take the Unicorns and Pegasus some apples. They are our good friends and deserved to be treated as such.”

“Yes, my princess.” Timberbellow and Roaringfalls replied in unison as they got to their feet. Carefully, they lifted the drow off the cold ground and put him on Windhowl’s back. My gryphon grunted a bit, swishing his tail back and forth.

“This guy is heavier than he looks.” Windhowl muttered.

I giggled quietly as I stroked Windhowl behind his ear. My pet gryphon followed me back to the palace and into a guest room. I had a little trouble getting the limp drow onto the high bed but I finally got him up on the pillows on his right side. I could not lay him on his back because of the whip lesions. Windhowl offered to go fetch the doctor so I could watch over the sleeping drow. For a moment, I simply looked at the drow in curiosity and amazement. I had never seen a drow before. What Windhowl said was true. Drows did have grey skin. They also had curved and pointed ears like us elves. His hair was solid white! It looked so silky.

While my gryphon was out of the room, I poured water into a large bowl from an urn and dipped a cloth in it. Wrigging out the cloth, I gently began to wipe all the blood and dirt from the drow’s body. I started with his hands and arms, slowly working my way upward. His chest was covered in multiple stabs wounds so I tried my best to be careful. The drow whimpered one time in his sleep when I pressed too hard on one of his cuts. By the time I finished his entire torso, the water in the bowl was so bloody I had to change it. When I started cleaning the blood covered, left side of his face, the drow groaned loudly and forced both of his eyes open.

“Where… am I?” The drow croaked with his voice like sandpaper. His chest heaved while he tried to sit up straight.

“No!” I said quickly, lightly pushing him back down. He stared at me with a sorrowful expression, wheezing and trembling from the pain. I felt sorry for the poor drow. “Please, you should not move. You will hurt yourself even more.”

“Hurts… every… where…” He said weakly, his eyes closed and his brow furrowed in anguish.

“Shh, shh… it will be okay.” I whispered while I held his calloused, left hand to try to calm him down. He looked at me with those amethyst eyes. Those deep purple eyes of his were like utter pools of darkness. I could lose myself in them. “Just rest and sleep now. I’m going to take care of you.”

“Thank… you…” The drow said so lowly, it was almost inaudible. He fell back into the realm of slumber just as Windhowl walked back in the room with the doctor.

“My princess, you sent for me?” Doctor Fernyow inquired as he bowed his head.

“Yes… good doctor, please see what you can do for this drow here.” I told the doctor sincerely, “He was wronged greatly. If you do not help him, I’m afraid he will die.”

“I swear I will do what I am able, my princess.” Doctor Fernyow promised as he made his way over to the bed. He examined the drow’s numerous and seemingly endless wounds on his body. “I believe I will acquire your assistance, my princess.”

For nearly three hours, Doctor Fernyow and I tried our best to treat the drow. I finished cleaning his body from head to toe making sure the rest of the blood and dirt was off of him. The doctor had to sew up several of his stab wounds and even remove pieces of metal stuck in his skin. I tried to use the uttermost care when I applied a healing salve to the whip marks and his face. It took two rolls of thick bandages to cover his chest, back, and one to wrap up his burnt face. Doctor Fernyow and I had to set his broken leg and arm into place which was a bit of a hassle. The drow was in a state of half-conscious, yelling in pain and trying to get away from us. After everything was done, I dressed him in silk sleeping wear and covered him up with the heavy sheets and blankets. Now all I could do was wait for him to heal…