Prologue

I run towards the forest, wind blowing strands of my hair from my braid, with my favorite book in hand. Laughter erupts from my chest, these are my favorite days. No lessons, no chores, just a day of freedom. In the distance I hear my mother yelling, “Niccola, don’t go too far. Stay away from the Elvish territory.”

I shrug my shoulders, I know these woods better than anyone else. No way am I stumbling into Elvish territory. I emerge under a canopy of trees, light shining in from the crevices above. Still as bright as ever, I squint my eyes looking for a nice shaded spot. Around me I hear the best sounds. Animals rummaging in the bushes nearby, birds flying and singing overhead, and the distant sound of running water. I smile and slow down my pace enjoying the fresh air and peaceful energy. I like to pretend that I am queen of these woods and my job is to protect all of the animals around me. I move from bush to bush “Hello, Bunnies” I whisper, trying not to scare them away. A foolish hope that one day a bunny will hear me and come hopping in my direction.

I look around for a nice reading nook, walking towards the Elvish territory, but not close enough that anyone would care. As I glance around I notice a bundle of vines hanging from a nearby tree. They create a semicircle, and have the perfect amount of shade. “Perfect” I whisper to myself and move to settle in. I sit inside of the nook with the vines shading me from the sun and lean my right shoulder against the tree.

In the stillness of the night, darkness wraps around me like a heavy cloak, a shroud that whispers secrets only the shadows know. It’s a canvas, vast and unyielding, where fears dance in the corners, where doubts take root and grow like weeds in the garden of my mind. I stand at the edge, peering into the abyss, and I wonder, is it a void or a womb? Does it swallow or does it cradle?

The stars, those distant pinpricks of light, seem to mock me from their lofty perch, reminding me of the brilliance I can’t quite grasp. They flicker like memories, moments of joy that feel so far away, swallowed by the encroaching night. I reach for them, but my fingers only grasp the cool air, the emptiness that echoes back my longing.

In this darkness, I confront my own reflection, a silhouette of what I once was, what I hoped to be. The silence is deafening, a weight pressing down, and I can hear the heartbeat of the universe, a steady thrum that reminds me I am alive, even here, even now.

But there’s a beauty in this obscurity, a rawness that strips away the pretense. It’s in the quiet that I find clarity, the kind that shimmers like dew on grass at dawn. I learn to embrace the shadows, to dance with them, to understand that they are not my enemy but a part of the tapestry of existence.

So let the darkness come. Let it envelop me, for within its depths lies the potential for rebirth, the promise of light waiting to break through. I am not afraid; I am ready to rise, to transform, to emerge anew, like a phoenix from the ashes of night.*

I shift off of my right shoulder and lean to my back, expecting an impact to hold me up, but instead I continue falling backwards. The vines give way to an opening in the tree's roots and I fall a few feet backwards, hitting my head on the dirt below. I sit up and place my book beside me. I pull my legs to my chest and swing around to see that I had fallen into a hidden grove. The trees intertwined creating a hidden circle shaped garden. “Wow,” I hear escaping from my lips.

“Not a very graceful entrance.” A voice comes from beside me. I jump and look to my left and sitting on a fallen oak tree is an Elf man. He looks around my age to human eyes but who knows how old he actually is.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to come here. I fell into this hole in the tree trunk and… Please don’t tell anyone. I didn’t mean to go into Elvish territory. I'm leaving right now!” I grab my book and begin hurrying up the hole from which I came.

“I don’t believe you have done anything wrong.” The young man says.

I pause and turn towards him, “What do you mean? It is illegal to step into Elvish territory. If my mother finds out I will be in so much trouble.” I sigh, fear fills me, but so does something else, curiosity. I’ve always dreamed of what the Elvish lands looked like. I find myself looking around the grove.

“I don’t believe this is Elvish Territory. Or well, I am not sure. It seems to be right on the border, between man and elf.” He smiles at me and moves off of the tree trunk. Heading in my direction, “Though I come here often and I’ve never run into a human before.” He reaches his hand down to me, offering to help me up. I look at it unsure at first. I have never seen an Elf in person, just heard of them and warned of the laws of separation. He is kind looking, with long blond hair and blue eyes. The sharpest jawline I have ever seen, slim but still quite a masculine frame. I take his hand feeling his cool skin against mine, and he pulls me up with ease.

“Thank you” I say, steadying myself and glancing around. It is a beautiful grove. To the left is a large fallen oak tree with all kinds of branches to sit in and around. Then to my right a small creek moves in and crosses through the middle of the grove. Vines hang all around and I bet in the right seasons they sprout all kinds of flowers. “This place is beautiful, it almost seems magical.” I move around examining every inch of this new found haven.

“I came across it a few years ago, and could never figure out where the border is within.” He moves back to sit on the solid oak tree.

“I’m sorry. This is like your own personal garden. I won’t intrude any longer.” I say and make for the hole again.

“No, it’s okay. This place is not owned by me, nor anyone. You are welcome to stay if you would like. Plus it isn’t everyday I get to speak with a human.” Something about the way he smiles at me melts my heart.

“Okay” I move towards him and he pats the spot next to him on the tree. “How did you get in here?” I ask, seeing as the hole I fell through is in human territory. He points to a similar hole on the opposite side of the circle as mine.

“Though I would say my initial entry of this place was a bit more graceful than yours.” He chuckles, as I take a seat next to him. “My name is…” He pauses for a second, almost as if he is unsure he should be giving this information to a human. “Aired Gildi, I live in Dellum.”

“Wow, I’ve heard stories of the great city of Dellum. I’ve always wished to see it. I’ve heard that the Elvish Royal Family lives there in a magnificent castle, and I…” I stop, catching myself from rambling. “Haven't introduced myself. I am Niccola Adgolor from Myrkaand.”

“And from what I have heard Myrkaand is a lovely human village that I also have never seen.” He looks down at the book in my hand. “Poems of Tartarean, that’s a rare item if it is from the Realm of Tartarean.” He looks back up at me and I can tell he is curious.

“ It is from Tartarean. My father found it many years ago and has been reading these poems to me since before I can remember.” I smile and brush my stray hairs out of my face. “It’s my favorite book, I’m not sure why but something about them just entrances me. The passion for darkness is something that people in Girandole could never imagine.” I sigh, “I almost envy them.”

“Envy those living in darkness. How odd?” He chuckles, “So you prefer night over day?”

“Not necessarily, but sometimes I find the sun too bright and too hot and the idea of a shadowed land does not sound so bad.” I laugh at myself, “I know that sounds ridiculous.”

“Well I can say that I’ve never met a more interesting person in all of Girandole, and I have only spoken with you for a few minutes.” He stands and turns to me, “So tell me about your favorite poem from this book. I smile and go on to explain several of my favorite poems. We chat for hours about all kinds of things from details on the elvish city to our favorite things to have for supper. Till I looked around and noticed how dark it had gotten.

“Oh, I have to go. Mother will be upset if I am not home soon.” I stand heading for a final time to the hole in which I came from.

“Will you come back tomorrow?” He asked me.

“I can’t tomorrow because of lessons, but next time I am granted a free day I will be here. I hope to stumble across you again, Aired.” I wave goodbye to my new found friend and hurry out of the grove, through the forest and safely back to home.