Chapter 9: Zelkova

Three weeks passed, and Nathaniel has been perfecting and perfecting the attack plan on the Dark Armada. Alexandria's bruises were very near invisible. She was watched like a hawk. When Nathaniel wasn't around, he always had someone watching over her. Some might call it overprotective, but Alexandria understood that he just didn't want anything else to happen to her. However, this watching over her business was starting to irritate her. Alexandria decided that the next day she would try to get some alone time. She needed to get away from this zero-privacy policy of Nathaniel's.

That night, Alexandria had another one of the dreams. This time, she was sitting in front of a large fireplace. She was in the arms of Darien again. This didn't bother her as much as it had before. Darien had been answering a question that she didn't know she had asked.

"Well, I had seen Fire-flower only once before, when we were heading back from the voyage. She was peeking around my tent, and I assume she was trying to listen in on our conversation of which road we would take back to the castle. I scared her off, and shooed her away. She flew off in a huff."

For some reason, Alexandria knew exactly what he was talking about and laughed.

"Well thank you but you still haven't answered my question." Alexandria said.

"Oh, of course. Well, we were riding through the forest and we must have been going the wrong way. A black shadow flew straight in front of my horse, as it whispered 'Turn back. West..' At first I thought it was a trick. I thought it was the Star Kingdom knights trying to lead us into a trap. We kept moving forward, and the shadow swept in front of us again. It said louder 'Turn back. Your princess lies West.' I kept moving forward, and a tree branch blocked my way. Fire-flower flew by again and tugged on a lock of my hair. She yelled something in the fairy language, but I did not understand. I only caught 'Elizabeth'. I turned my troop around and made the assumption that you've been sneaking out as you always do."

Alexandria felt her face flush. Then she asked:

"Who was the shadow?"

"That was the Forest Guardian."

"Forest Guardian?"

"Yes. Haven't I told you the story?"

Alexandria looked him in the face. She was confused, but curious.

"I see, well then perhaps I should. There is a legend, you see. The Forest Guardian was said to be made of the elements of the forest by the Mother herself. She let him grow like a normal human being, but she feared the day that he would die. The Dark Forest is no place for a human to be. So, she took a drop of the eternal pool and put in on his forehead. He was made immortal and inhabited the powers of his mother. He can control the creatures, plants, and the elements. He even has the power of magic creation. I never thought he existed until that day."

Alexandria nodded.

"What's he called?"

"Zelkova. After a tree of some sort, I don't remember."

Alexandria was intrigued by this story.

"He must be so lonesome. Living in that forest day and night forever."

"Well there was also another tale about him. About how the Forest Guardian fell in love."

She sat up, and the fire crackled. Darien smiled and started again.

"One night, he was sitting on a cliff at the glacial lake when he saw her. She was in a dark green dress. Her face was the color of milk. Her hair was so dark that one would think that it was taken from the night sky. Her eyes were a bright, bright blue. She stumbled around, lost. She fell to the ground in weakness, and she wept. Her tears fell into the water on the shore. Zelkova called the fairies, who blew into his face, which allowed him to glide over the water to the sobbing woman. She saw him on the reflection of the water, and scooted backwards. He asked her how she got to the lake, and she told him her story. All the while, Zelkova had secretly called on the animals to gather food for the woman. He had given her the food and she thanked him for his charity. She and Zelkova talked for hours and hours on end. By the end of the night, they had fallen in love. Zelkova had discovered that she was a noblewoman from the Dark Armada. She had been wandering the forest, and had run into a beast. She fled deeper and deeper until she found refuge at the lake. By that time she had lost all hope of ever finding her way back. Her name was Evalene. Evalene stayed with Zelkova for days on end, as he showed her around the forest. Many weeks passed and they were completely and madly in love. Unfortunately, Evalene was betrothed to a duke back in the kingdom. She had not wanted at all to go back, but Zelkova knew that she couldn't stay with him forever. Even though it hurt him terribly, he conviced her to go back to her former life. A forest was no place for a woman like Evalene. About a year passed, and Zelkova had word that Evalene had born a child. However, it wasn't the duke's. The people didn't know whose child it was, except for Zelkova, and Evalene could not tell anyone because she had died during the birth. Zelkova recieved this news and wept for three days straight. He knew that he could never see his child. Until then, there have been stories that he has killed himself by prying off his crown of immortality, but I proved that theory wrong."

Darien turned to her and whispered in her ear.

"If it were me, and you were Evalene, I would have been greedy and never let you leave."

He kissed her.

Alexandria woke up, and Nathaniel was awake as well. She smiled, for she had finally found out a way to make some time for herself. She would go into the forest and see if she could find Zelkova. Perhaps he could summon the fairy Fire-flower, and she could get some answers about her dreams and visions.

***

The next night, she had slipped out of bed, and dressed in a black cloak. She didn't know what good it would do, but she took along one of Nathaniel's daggers and slipped it in her right boot.

She crept around the sleeping castle while she ducked the night guards and found a way out. She looked back only once, but she kept moving forward. She stepped into the forest. It was intimidating and dark. Alexandria took a deep breath, pulled up her hood and walked silently into the unknown.

Hours passed, and Alexandria was frightened out of her mind. She was paranoid of running into a beast or even one of those dreadful moles. She heard rustling to her left. Heavy breathing to her right, she turned completely around and sprinted back the way she came. "This was a terrible idea! I never should have come here!" she thought. She heard steps pursueing her, and she desperately tried dodging the magnificent trees, and jumping over their thick roots. A booming voice stopped her in her tracks, and a sword was at her throat. At first she thought it was Darien, but she remembered that the Castle of Abyss was too for him to be here. The voice had said:

"Hault! If you wish to move a step further boy, then state your business."

Alexandria had a terrible sweat on her forehead. She was panting like mad, and was lost for words.

"I said state your business, or lose your tongue."

She could feel the cold silver graze her throat.

"I-I am not a boy." she managed to whisper.

The sword dropped and she heard it be put away in a holster. A large hand turned her right shoulder so she was facing her accusor. He had an oval face. His skin was fairly tanned from what she could see in the limiting moonlight. His hair was very long, below his shoulders. He had a silver crown that started from the middle of his fore-head and stretched around his head. In the middle of the crown was a silvery-blueish-green droplet. No doubt that this was Zelkova, the Forest Guardian himself. He was a very handsome man. His features were practically perfect. He looked her up and down, and he looked impressed. Alexandria backed away and found a tree behind her to steady herself with. Zelkova leaned back against a tree and crossed his arms and legs. He raised one eyebrow.

"Well, well, well. Princess Alexandria of the Star Kingdom. Betrothed to the Prince aren't you? I heard of your little brush with death at the Castle of Abyss. It seems you are quite favourable when it comes to men." he stated while stifling a laugh.

Alexandria looked at him with angry confusion.

"I see... I must apologize."

He stood up straight and bowed.

"My deepest and most humble apologies to you Princess. I did not mean to frighten you in any way. It's instinct for me to be suspicious of anyone wandering through my forests."

He gave her a friendly smile, revealing his pearly white teeth.

"Thank you Zelkova. You did give me quite a scare." she breathed.

"Yes, I have that effect on people,"

He paused, as if he was reminiscing.

"If you don't see it as too much of a bother, then can you tell me why a maiden such as yourself would be-"

"Wandering in the forest at such a late hour?" she interrupted.

He let out a small snigger.

"Well, actually, you were the very person I was looking for."

Zelkova smiled like a child who was being acknowledged for good behavior.

"Really? Well, I'm here now. How can I be of service?"

"I've heard you can summon creatures of the forest, and, well, I need you to summon a certain fairy for me. Fire-flower?"

Zelkova nodded.

"Ahh, my little fairy leader. Why do you need to talk to her?"

"I need some questions answered."

Zelkova's brownish-blonde hair suddenly changed to a shocking red. His thoughts were far away. His eyes changed to gold and he whispered.

"Fire-flower, can you make it over here within the hour, you have a visitor." he said very softly.

There was a long pause, and Zelkova said again.

"I see. Thank you anyhow. Get well soon."

Zelkova's hair and eyes changed back to their natural browns. Alexandria dropped her head.

"You heard me?"

She looked up at him confused.

"Well, you are standing right in front of me."

"No, no it's not that. No one knows the fairy language aside from myself and.." he trailed off.

His face was surprised. He looked down at Alexandria and titled his head.

"Wait here."

He disappeared into the shadows, and returned a few minutes later with something in his hand. It was about the size of a small pebble. He also took out a small vile with what looked to be water in it. He snapped and the little pebble-sized object floated in mid-air. It looked like a fish scale. He snapped again and he spilt the contents of the vile into an invisible bowl. He clasped his hands together and then slid his hands apart. He pulled apart what looked like a golden chain. In the middle was a small golden sun with a hold in the middle of it. He whispered something and the floating water entered the small sun, glowing green, silver, purple and blue. Small solid gold feathers grew on the chain on either side of the sun, and one below the sun forming the sun between a triangle of hanging feathers. The scale flew threw the air and attached itself between the sun and the lowest feather. As soon as the attachment was made the whole thing glowed gold like a fairy, outlining the necklace. Zelkova motioned for her to turn around.

"Keep this, and never take it off. Think of it as a gift."

It was beautiful and felt as though it weighed nothing at all.

"Why are you giving me this?" she asked.

"Well, considering your recent luck, and your ability to attract trouble, it will act as a sheild. It has an elixir from the pool of eternal life, mountainous fairy dust, and woodland fairy dust. There is an aquatic fairy scale. That tops it off for the most protection."

Alexandria remembered that Nathnaiel had custom armor that was made completly of aquatic fairy scales. She didn't tell Zelkova however. That would not be wise. She turned around, and she smiled.

"Thank you, Zelkova."

The left side of his lips pulled up into a crooked smile and he nodded.

"The pleasure is all mine princess."

He bowed.

"Now you'd better run along. It's going to be dawn soon, and I don't think your Prince would appreciate seeing you missing again." he smirked.

Alexandria felt a twinge of guilt.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help in answering your questions." he added.

"It's quite alright. Perhaps some other time then?"

"No. I'm sorry. I can't do that."

"Why not?"

She was a little offended.

"Well... I.. I have many forests to watch over, and I can't keep constantly checking for you." he said.

Alexandria felt a little hurt. Zelkova saw this in her face and quickly recovered himself.

"I can send Fire-flower to you when she starts to feel better. I'm sorry I can't be of any more assistance."

Alexandria nodded. Zelkova lead her back to the edge of the forest.

"Fairwell." he said.

He casually saluted with two fingers.

"Good-bye." Alexandria waved.

Zelkova backed into the shadows, and Alexandria ran back to the castle, feeling pleased with herself. She clutched the necklace and was excited to tell Nathaniel all about that night.


***

Zelkova watched her run away in a hurry without looking back. He sighed. She looks exactly like her mother.