The Fey Bride of Elfland
Chapter Twenty-Three
Salvation in Dance

As we were being served cups of steaming ale as a final course, the Ice Queen said, "Well, I guess there is no need for the string quartet. Since they have been gathered, I would at least like to hear one piece."

From the main doorway came the voice of Lasotherral. "No, please, I will dance. I however will not dance with Prince Chamorrick, but with Prince Kevin."

It was the Ice Queen that asked, "And the reason for that decision?"

The Fey Bride of Elfland
Chapter Twenty-Two
Supper with Lasotherral

Due to his request, I shadowed Chamorrick as he went to escort Lasotherral. While we both expected one of the wispy pure fey to answer the door, it was the darling lady that responded to the knock. When Chamorrick requested to escort the lady to supper, she stepped out although spoke of not knowing what to do.

"That troubles me," he said. "You were to have a husband, so surely know how to travel with a man."

The Fey Bride of Elfland
Chapter Twenty-One
Palace of the Ice Queen

The ride to the castle of the Ice Queen did take longer than I suspected. I would not say that it was enough time for the ladies to have a lengthy conversation, but they certainly could have done more than exchange simple pleasantries. I looked at the window of the coach and saw a blur from our rate of movement, but the ride still was long enough for Chamorrick to get some minutes of rest.

The Fey Bride of Elfland
Chapter Twenty
Arrival of the Ice Queen

The Fey Bride of Elfland
Chapter Nineteen
Plans

Queanay probably expected some comments when she mentioned being able to prepare a cold soup, but Chamorrick and I both had our minds on other things. As we moved against the wall, I believe that we sought a place to sit simply to help us control our anxiety. Queanay directed us to stones that could be moved. Some took the efforts of both Chamorrick and me, but soon we found ourselves able to sit in a comfortable setting and put our attention on the things we felt important.

The Fey Bride of Elfland
Chapter Eighteen
Another Interesting Lady

Chamorrick became all excited when we told him the next day of receiving the directions to visit the pure elves. I believe that Queanay would have spent time walking with him, but she never gained a chance. Chamorrick became all agitated and rushing around, so the lady stayed with me simply because I gave her a consistent presence.

The Fey Bride of Elfland
Chapter Seventeen
Pleasant Conversations

The gorges in the terrain did not become shallow as we moved up the volcano. Finding fresh water thus became an issue this evening has it did the evening before. Chamorrick again suggested we call down to get the permission of a nymph. Considering that the cuts in the landscape did not go away, we had no choice but to stay next to the gorge we had stayed in the night before. I was not against having my half-brother call down, although Queanay was.

The Fey Bride of Elfland
Chapter Sixteen
The Distance of Desires

The little man wished us a good day as he left early in the morning. The ground at the bottom of the gorge was rocky and I guess near the water table, as my bedroll began to get damp from my weight pressing it into the soil next to the stream. I thus was awake softly complaining about the lack of comfort when I heard the little man tell me that he wished us well as he strode down the gorge.

The Fey Bride of Elfland
Chapter Fifteen – Part Two
The Wealth of a Changing Land

Once his panting reduced to normal breaths, Chamorrick moved to the edge of the gorge while saying, “Trolls are filthy creatures, but if there is water down there it might be best to go on down.”

We both turned with shock to hear the voice of the small man say, “Of course there is water down there. Water does not bother trolls, and they usually lair where others will come to them.

The Fey Bride of Elfland
Chapter Fifteen – Part One
The Wealth of a Changing Land

The land was increasing in height, but not in any regular fashion. I got the definite impression of traveling over an ancient lava flow from the cuts into the land. The higher we moved up with the terrain, the more we began fearing the drops often hidden by thick growths of plants.