Alondria's Sorrowful Summer

Alondria's Sorrowful Summer
By: Lil' Winter Rose

Alondria wept and wept as she stared into the depths of Wayward Gorge. Her royal tears fell like a cascade of diamonds from a newly discovered vein. Her normally lively, faceted jade green eyes were dull and clouded by the haze of her unrelenting tears.

I cannot believe we have lost elfin families to this natural wonder yet again, she thought, as she tried desperately to stop sobbing.

It had all started about six hours ago at the Kalliope - the annual elfin festival to welcome in the glorious months of summer. The members of the elfin community were all gathered in the Willows Glade. Many families worked all year long on crafts and trinkets to sell and trade at the festival. There were glorious woodcarvings, divinely inspired glass creations and absolutely heavenly tapestries in booths scattered all throughout the glade.

The elfin children ran about gleefully checking out all the games and contests that were being held. The air was filled with the essence of pure magic and joy. The aromatic clouds from all the wonderful food caressed the elfin nostrils and led them to total bliss.

The Kalliope had become a time of renewal for the elves; a time to recharge, rejoice and rediscover their own desires. It was a feast for all the senses. The Kalliope was a long standing tradition, attended and appreciated by all the residents of and visitors to Whittenmoore.

Alondria and her husband, King Olean, looked upon the gathering and saw two totally different things. Alondria was all a twitter because her people were finally able to relax and enjoy themselves. It was a chance to forget about their charges, and tend to the needs and wishes of their own kind. She looked upon them and was genuinely pleased.

The King, on the other hand was fidgety and anxious. He hated to see his people engaged in such frivolous pursuits. There were humans to look out for and dragons to guide. There were major projects left half done; he just could not stand it.

Fortunately for the elfin community, this was one disagreement that Alondria always won. The Kalliope was going on as it had for hundreds and hundreds of years. The minstrels were playing, the dragons were flying in formation and announcing with pride the opening of the festivities. Yes, Alondria had won, and everyone was happy.


Families gathered for what was to be the first major event of the day . . . The Fairy Fling. All of the elves in their brightly colored festival garb gathered in the center of the glade awaiting their lists. The fairies had, as they always did, created a treasure hunt. They were teasing the elves by making them wait for their lists and maps. Those fairies, they certainly added a twist to the festival with their love of the ridiculous and passion for mischief. King Olean was just about to order them to turn over the maps and such, when the trees all bent in toward the center of the glade. This made no sense. The skies were all clear. There was no wind. . . what was making the trees behave as though a horrible storm were afoot?

All at once there was an attack on the senses. The music and laughter were fractured by a horrific whine. It sounded as if some large animal were being eaten alive. The elves were shaken and disheartened by the sounds, but did not want to interrupt their festival. Try as they might, they could not ignore the sounds that grew louder and louder.

King Olean led a group of elves on an excursion to investigate. The men marched off in the direction of the sound. As they got closer, the character of the noise changed. It was no longer a chilling, horrible sound, but rather a strangely enticing tone that they felt obligated to follow. The elfin men were no longer walking cautiously toward the sound, but running with strangely carefree abandon in pursuit of it. It was as if they were chasing a long lost lover.

The men had been overtaken by the hypnotic tones emanating from the gorge and the King was aghast. As he surveyed the area trying to plot his next move he was sickened by the sight of a large pack of elfin children charging blindly toward their fathers.

The King came to an abrupt stop. He was overcome by the feeling that something awful was about to happen. He could not shake the feeling that he had experienced this all before. He ordered the men to halt. He bellowed at them and pounded his scepter on the dewy grass. It was no use, they were long gone out of his sight and hearing. The pull of the sound being emitted from Wayward Gorge was much too strong. The King was outraged and petrified all at the same time. In the three hundred years since his father had passed the crown to him, he had never experienced such a complete lack of control. The men ran passed him and straight over the edge of the gorge. Before he knew what had happened, all the men were followed into the gorge by their children. Their wives met the same fate, as they tried desperately to save their children from the hypnotic sounds of the gorge.

The king was in shock! He stood frozen in time, looking at the edge of the gorge.
So many of his subjects had just plunged into its depths, and he could make no sense of it. Slowly, he began to be aware of what was going on around him. He was surprised to note that the area was hauntingly quiet. There was no noise . . not the chirp of a bird . . . the buzz of a bee . . . NOTHING! Could it be over? His beautiful wife and daughter were standing at his side now. Instinctively, he drew them close into a vise-like embrace. The king was relieved that his little family was intact. When he finally released his grip on his ladies, the three of them walked back to the center of the glade.

Unaware of what had taken place at the gorge, the festival had slipped back into its previous state of bliss. As the royal family entered the center of the glade, the unmarried elfin women were completing a series of traditional dances. The sounds of joy and laughter once again filled the air.

"Attention! Attention!" the King commanded. "I have some horrible news to report, all of the men who accompanied me to investigate that chilling sound are gone...and with them their wives... and children as well! For some reason they ran right over the edge into the gorge. In order for me to mount an investigation and protect the rest of the elfin community, I am ending the Kalliope immediately! Return to your homes and do not come out until I have issued an announcement of safety." That having been said, the King marched off toward Sanora Palace. Many questions were hurled at his back, yet he continued on his way without reply. Alondria and the Princess could handle those things.

Upon entering the palace, the King headed for the North Wing. Still in a state of shock, he desperately needed the advice and support of his father. He opened the large, mahogany doors and continued into his father's wing of the castle. He was very quickly met by the Queen Mother. Somehow, she had already heard about the grievous loses that the kingdom had experienced. She rushed to her only son and enveloped him in a loving embrace. Holding him close, she placed kisses all over his bone china-like skin. His blue eyes seemed somehow cold and distant. The warmth had vanished long ago, and today they appeared empty as well.

"Valentcia, let the boy go! He is the King and you must stop coddling him!" King Etonn rebuked.

"Oh, Father, thank the Gods you are here. May we talk?" the young King asked with the utmost respect and reverence.

"Yes, my son, let us retire to my library. There is much I must explain.”