The Light of Elysium

49 - Aldebaran

(Elissa's PoV)

Darish and I leave the forest and step out into bright daylight. It is silly of me, but the sight of the sun after all that time spent in darkness almost causes me to weep.

A good hour's walk brings us to a high wall of pale stone which hides the elven city from my curious eyes. We follow it around to the Southern gate; a gothically carved stone archway, wide enough to take a single-decker bus, or large horse-drawn carriage if you will.

The heavy, wooden gates stand open, but the way is barred by several guards in silver armour and black leather boots. I stiffen for a moment before noting the white hair flowing from beneath their gleaming helmets. They wordlessly move aside, allowing us to pass into the walled citadel.

The place has an air of elegance and wealth with grand limestone buildings, wide tree lined boulevards, pristine squares and beautiful marble sculptures. I wonder if my father lives in one of these houses?

In the very centre of the city is an inner walled area. This time the gates are firmly shut, and the guards are far more heavily armed.  Across the twin wooden doors spans the silhouette of a seven-branched tree made of silver. I'm sure that the design is the same as my locket and my fingers itch to pull it out from it's hiding place in my dress.

Darish bids me wait while he talks to one of the guards. The guard's cool gaze moves to me and I try not to squirm. It seems like Darish lowers his voice, for the guard leans in as if to hear better. Whatever he says works, because the guard signals with his hand and the gates are heaved open.

I stare in awe at the white fairy-tale palace, its steeple towers glittering in the sunlight. It is sat in the middle of intricately laid out gardens filled with exquisite white statues, tinkling fountains, perfect topiary and quiet seating areas.

Darish confidently strides down one of the white stone pathways. Wide-eyed, I keep getting distracted and have to hurry to catch up with him. He stops at a confection of a white stone building, like a large folly.

He holds the front door open and we enter an airy, white marble hallway lined with ornate, panelled doors. He crosses over to one of the doors and beckons me over before knocking. Hesitantly I follow, my heart beating out an anxious pattern.

I find myself in a grand room which reminds me of a French chateau I once visited. The walls are a pale duck-shell blue with gilt-edged panelling. Heavy brocade curtains frame windows taller than me whilst two chandeliers hang from a baroque ceiling.

A white-blond elf unfolds himself from a rococo chaise and I gasp, recognising him immediately as the one from my vision of Isabella, although he doesn't seem to have aged a day. His features could be sculpted from porcelain and he has lilac eyes.

He is finely dressed in a frock coat with silver embroidery and makes me feel incredibly dowdy in my plain woollen brown dress and my state of disarray after sleeping rough. 

Darish bows. "Sire, may I present Elissa? I found her precisely as you said."

The elf studies my face as if I'm a puzzle to be solved and his voice when he finally speaks, prickles with power. "I had a vision of you. Why?"

"I think we are related." I remove the locket from around my neck and hold it out to him. "I was found as a baby with this."

Dismissively, he glances at the locket, then back at me with an impassive, possibly even bored look. "Why should this trinket interest me?"

"Because you gave it to its original owner." Oops! I should probably hold back on the sass.

He steps closer and there is a frisson of menace beneath his calm exterior. "What do you hope to gain by coming here?"