Maederia, Ep. 1

I've written a bit more than this, but I'll post the rest later! :) And btw Emily, thanks for the idea you left in the comments!!! hehe.

So, tell me what you think!!! Do you like it?

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Kateri quietly crouched on the leaf strewn forest floor. At her waste hung a small sword bejeweled with diamonds and rubies. On her shoulder hung her Elvin-made bow, sturdy and polished. The sound of voices drifted through the cold October air.
“Tell me your name, herdsman.” A stern, deep voice commanded.
“Adrastius of Peluesius, my lord,” a voice replied, nervous, agitated.
Silently, Kateri tiptoed forward, peering through the brilliantly colored leaves of a tall tree. One of the men was tall and dark, draped in a fine cloak of rich blue. Black hair covered his eyes. In his arms he carried a bundle, but whether it was anything more than an armful of cloth was impossible to tell. A huge warhorse stood next to him, black as night, with a white star on his forehead. The other man was dressed in a patched tunic, a bow in his hands, and a threadbare sack slung over his narrow shoulders.
“What are you doing in the King’s forest?” the lord barked.
The herdsman, Adrastius, quavered under his fierce glare.
“My lord, forgive me, I meant no harm. This forest is swarming with creatures that his most royal Majesty, the King, may he live forever, never touches. My wife is with child, and we are starving. My lord, I only wished to hunt some rabbits for a stew.”
The lord growled, snatching the young man by his tunic.
“Never let me see you in these forests again, thief. If I ever do….Why, it’s ridiculous of me even to let you go this time! You should hung by the neck for this criminal thievery.”
“My lord, no, please, I beg of you….Be merciful!” Adrastius begged, nearly weeping with fear, though not for himself...for his wife and unborn child. How would they survive if he was killed?
“I shouldn’t be. Give me one good reason. And yet…if you could be of assistance to me…”
“My lord, anything!”
The lord hefted the bundle in his arms, revealing that it was nothing less than a newborn babe.
“This child’s fate is death. Take him and lay him in an exposed part of this forest. Leave him there for three days. On the third day I shall return, and you shall show me his body. If you do not follow my orders exactly, you shall suffer horribly.”
“M-my lord?” the young man said, shocked, indeed, disgusted, staring at the tiny child.
“Do you hear me? There shall be grave retribution if you do not follow orders.” With that, the nobleman roughly shoved the babe into the herdsman’s arms, mounted his warhorse, and galloped away.

The young man stood in the forest, tenderly holding the sleeping child in his arms. Kateri crouched behind the tree, watching him. Suddenly, a small hand touched her arm. She jumped in surprise.
“I’m sorry!” Emily cried. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“How long have you been there?” Kateri breathed, brushing some of her raven black hair back from her face.
“Long enough to know that that rich young man was awful! How could he wish such an evil fate on an innocent baby?”
“I don’t know, but I agree he was horrible. Most humans are. Sometimes I feel as if we elves were the only creatures left with any good in them,” Kateri said sadly.
“Come on, we have to do something. We can’t let that shepherd kill that poor baby!”
“You know it’s forbidden to meddle in human affairs, Emily!” cried Kateri, though only half-heartedly. She too longed to help the babe.
“But Kateri, we have to! No one would ever know!”
“Well....okay,” Kateri agreed. “Come on, we'll follow him. When he leaves the baby, we'll carry it to some other family, one which will love him.”

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Pronunciations:

Adrastius: Ad-DRAY-stius

Pelues - Pel-oos-ius