The Elves of Arthannegh, Book Three of the Fair and Fey

By J. Ellyne

The 2nd edition has been published and approved for premium distribution!

This is the riveting third book of the blockbuster series, The Fair and Fey, translated from the High Elven of Sashegh’s third journal by J. Ellyne. The series began 9,000 years ago when Sashegh and her people came from the planet Mag to settle on an island in our world. They endured conflicts with savage natives and Sashegh came of age, finding love with both men and women. One in particular, a young native Maiden named Nammi, was her true love. Circumstances forced her to leave Nammi behind when Sashegh’s mother decided to take her, along with several other friends and family, on a sailboat of Magin design to the North Country land across the ocean.

The Magin lead long lives so Sashegh outlived Nammi by many years. In the second book Nammi was reincarnated as Alikki, an Elf of Maahilund in the North Country, and they were reunited. They became best friends but in her second life Alikki, unlike Nammi, was strictly heterosexual. A wizard named Vainamoinen meets Sashegh and turns her and the other Magin into Elves. They join with the Elves of Maahilund and together they battle demons and the Devil who are determined to exterminate them.

You may have been saddened by the death of Sashegh at the hands of the Devil in the ending of the second book. On the other hand, perhaps you suspected she would be reincarnated, like Nammi was. How else could she have written her third journal? In the third book we find her reincarnated as an Elf in her new life, thousands of years after her first life, with a new name, Vilya.

This book, The Elves of Arthannegh, is a true epic, twice the length of the first book. It tells of the beginning of the ending of Elves in our world and the beginning of the beginning of the Arthurian Legend (the romance of Uther and Igraine), all happening in the same realm at the same time. There are several wars: Britons fighting Romans, Saxons fighting Britons, and Elves fighting Orcs. The Elves are involved in all of this. Vainamoinen reappears too, also with a new name, Merlin, and gives advice and visions of the future to both Elven and British friends, manipulating them for his own purposes.

Underneath all the plotting, warfare and bloodshed are two warm romantic love stories. One is the story of Uther and Igraine, the other is the story of Vilya (Sashegh) and the woman she has loved for thousands of years and with whom she always seems to reconnect. The tie between the Elves and the Britons is Igraine who, according to the Arthurian legends, was half-Elven. Because of her, the Elves and the Britons become allies and fight the Saxons and the Orcs together.

If this book doesn’t get your heart racing, you should check your pulse, you might be dead!

• Language: English
• Publisher: J. Ellyne
• Release date: Dec 29, 2013
• ISBN: 9781310448706

J. Ellyne

Ms Ellyne graduated from The University of Texas in Austin with a degree in Fine Arts. She currently lives in Florida and is a homemaker, musician, and writer. She has published four novels in The Fair and Fey series, an epic alternate history fantasy series with erotic romantic plots. All four books are available here in all formats and she is now giving away the first novel, Maginaugh, free to promote the series to new readers. Just click on the book titles below. Maginaugh is her best selling novel so far and has been rated 5 stars by readers! Her latest work, The Elves of Avalon, is now published and she is working on a forthcoming 5th novel in the series.

Book preview

Book III of The Fair and Fey

By J. Ellyne

Smashwords 3rnd Edition

License Notes

Thank you for purchasing this eBook. The following material remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoy this book, please encourage your friends to purchase their own copy at Smashwords.com, where they can also discover other works by this author.

. Thank you for your support.

Copyright 2013, 2014

By J. Ellyne

This book is dedicated to the glory of the great god Pan who has existed from the beginning of time and still exists in our world today. He will always be amongst us as long as there are those of us who worship nature in all its grandeur and who know how to love one another. Pan is truly the god of love and the patron god of lovers.

It is also dedicated to J. Ellyne’s spouse with heartfelt thanks for her love and steadfast support during the many years it took to publish the first three books of this series.

I also want to thank fellow author G. Napoli for the many helpful editing and review comments received on all three novels.

0: Relief Map of Arthannegh

Arthannegh – the ancient name the Elves have for the territory the Romans called Northern Britannia

Oiomysst – home of the Gryphons

Vanilonde – home of the High Elves

Lorienne – home of the Grey Elves

Kande – principal village of the Saxons

Teradryn – The 4th century seat of Roman government in Northern Britannia

Jorredun – a Roman military outpost and before that a Saxon village

Ithylldyn – home of the Wood Elves

Lyymurae – underground exile home of the Drow Elves

Aetlantyss – once an island in the Westernesse Ocean, now the underwater home of the Aquatic Elves

00: Dramatis Personae

There follows a listing of all the major characters in this tale. There are many and it is hoped that this will help the reader keep track of them all. They are introduced below in the order of their appearance. In order to avoid spoilers, do not look down the list beyond the character name about whom you have most recently read. The intent of the Dramatis Personae is to be used as a reference should the reader become confused by the plethora of character names. Simply select the Dramatis Personae from the table of contents and then use the search feature of your Ebook reader to find the character’s name.

Grraack is a Gryphon, half lion, half giant eagle. He is the son of Rraauck and Rroobee. Gryphons often have an Elf as their rider but Grraack is still a youngling as the story begins and has not yet chosen a rider.

Rroobee is Grraack’s mother. She has no rider.

Rraauck is Grraack’s father. His rider’s name is Ryyssa.

The newest Water Nymph has been recently reincarnated by Pan and has no memory of her past life.

Pan is the main god of the Pagans in the land of Arthannegh.

A certain Wood Nymph has also been reincarnated by Pan and has a strong attraction to the newest Water Nymph upon meeting her for the first time.

Igraine is the daughter of Ryyssa the Drow Elven queen and Mazadan, a Saxon warrior. She is the wife of King Gorlois in the beginning of the tale.

Gorlois (aka Vortigern of Britannia) is King of the Saxons of Northern Britannia at the beginning of the tale. Later on he takes the title Vortigern, meaning king of kings.

Merlin had the name Vainamoinen during the time he was with the Elves of Maahilund and has had several other names between then and now. He is a mighty wizard. He helped the Creator in the beginning of time and has been her messenger to those she watches over ever since.

Vilya is the name of one of the Elven rings of power. Merlin gives this ring to the new Water Nymph and tells her that her name was Sashegh in her previous life but will be Vilya in this life.

Uther is the second son of the Emperor of the Western Roman empire, Constantine III. He is the commanding general of the Roman army legions stationed in Northern Britannia when he first comes into the story.

Ryyssa was given the name Terdelaschoye at birth. She took the name Ryyssa when she became a Drow Elf. She is now the queen of the Drow Elves. She has three daughters, Igraine, Viviane, and Nyneve. Viviane and Nyneve married and went off somewhere with their Saxon husbands. Ryyssa is no longer in touch with them.

The Wood Nymph’s Tree lives in the deep, dark forest, Mori Taure. He speaks but not out loud and only to the Wood Nymph who sleeps inside him.

Narya is the name of one of the three Elven Rings of power. Merlin gave the ring to Pan and asked him to give it to the Wood Nymph who is the lover of Vilya (aka the Water Nymph). Pan tells the Wood Nymph that her name is Narya from now on and that her lover’s name is Vilya.

Goldeneye is the giant eagle who often helps Merlin and sometimes comes to relay important messages to those few Elves who are able to hear her silent communication.

Jormungandr is the Prince of Darkness. He is Satan’s (aka Hiisi as he was called in Maahilund) son and half-brother to Vilya (aka Sashegh) because his father (Hiisi) raped Sashegh’s mother (Mindoregh) and made her pregnant with Jormungandr.

Jubilex, is Jormungandr’s High Lord Demon, the mightiest of evil spell casters and the wisest warrior in his army. He has wings and is able to fly.

Dearg-Due is a beautiful female Demon and a blood sucker, easily able to seduce Elven and Human men, then sucking out their blood and dooming them to be undead slaves of Jormungandr.

Deber is the Demon of Pestilence. His bite infects his victims, giving them a fatal illness. Deber is almost invisible.

Ariel is the Demon of the Water. He is a black figure with large leathery wings.

Flauros, is a female Demon with a body in the form of a human-sized rat, complete with whiskers, sharp teeth, and a tail. She can cast fire spells and has the ability to remember all past events, to be aware of all that is happening in the present, and to see the future.

Trok Nugsen is Jubilex’s best Orc Battalion Commander.

Ruavina is a Grey Elven adolescent girl, one of 20 captured by the Orcs and raped repeatedly by flying Demons so that she would give birth to flying Orcs.

Igli Sugalo, a Saxon, is Jormungandr’s spy.

Emyyrraul is a female Gryphon, Grraack’s mate.

Sae’abrar is a master craftsman of the Grey Elves. He is the one who made Uther’s staff with a golden dragon’s head on top.

Corellon Larethian is a High Elf and the self-proclaimed god of the Elves of Arthannegh. His mother is Virva Larethian who succeeded Sashegh as queen of the Elves of Maahilund.

Sehanine is Corellon’s wife.

Pyama is actually Vilya, who was formerly Sashegh. Going against Merlin’s instructions, Corellon turns Vilya into an Aquatic Elf, names her Pyama, and casts spells on her to make her forget her true name and the names of Merlin and Pan.

Aearion is a male Aquatic Elf who is Pyama’s lover during the time she spends in Aetlantyss with the Aquatic Elves.

Emu and Ala are a pair of Dolphins who are friends of Pyama and Aearion.

Nenya is queen of the Avian Elves and the bearer of the third ring of power, her ring’s name is also Nenya.

Tra’Aera is queen of the Wood Elves of Ithylldyn.

Nunesse is a Grey Elf and the mother of Ruavina, one of the Elven maidens captured by the Orcs when they raided Lorienne.

Aurelius Ambrosius, a Roman ruler, is king of Northern Britannia before his death puts his brother Uther on the throne.

Virva, queen of the Elves of Maahilund is Corellon’s mother and is descended from Vilya’s mother, Mindoregh.

Larethian, a Maahilund Elf, is Virva’s husband and Corellon’s father.

Kauko is the Spirit of Tricks, a Maahilund Elf and Vilya and Narya’s lover.

Fewallo is Vilya’s brother, a Maahilund Elf.

The name or title Vortigern, in this book, is used primarily to refer to the Roman ruler of the Western Roman Empire, headquartered in Gaul in the early part of the 5th century. In various historical sources there is a lot of confusion about this name. He is sometimes confused with Gorlois in history and sometimes even thought to be the real name of King Arthur. Some historians explain this confusion by saying that perhaps Vortigern simply meant supreme ruler or king of kings during this time.

Constantine III was emperor of the Western Roman Empire before Vortigern murdered him and usurped the crown.

Constans is Constantine III’s oldest son and the brother of Uther Pendragon and Aurelius Ambrosius. His father made him king of southern Britannia.

Paschent is Vortigern’s son, sent in command of an army to subdue and conquer all those in Britannia not giving their allegiance to Vortigern.

Garlon is Vanilonde’s chief council member.

Brontiseus is the general of Uther’s army after Uther becomes king.

Hengist is the leader of the first Anglo-Saxon expedition to Northern Britannia.

Horsa is Hengist’s brother and second in command of the Anglo-Saxons when they first arrive.

Vortimer, Gorlois’ son, inherits his father’s crown upon-Gorlois’ death.

Oeric, Hengist’s son, comes to help Hengist fight the Britons and eventually assumes command of the Anglo-Saxon army.

Rowena, Oeric’s sister, accompanies him to Northern Britannia where she catches the eye of Vortigern Gorlois’ son, Vortimer.

Thaas, a Grey Elven Defender was on guard duty one night when he was the first to see the attack of the Orc army as they crossed the border from the badlands into Arthannegh.

Malonna, a Drow Elven warrior, is the General of Ryyssa’s cavalry of giant spider riders

Ector is Uther’s best swordsman, sent by Uther to Avalon to teach his son Arthur swordsmanship and knightly behavior.

Part I – The Races

Chapter 1: Grraack

He remembered learning to fly last year. His own mother had literally kicked him out of their cliff side nest. Later Rroobee told him she hated doing it but it was the only way. The initial act of flying could not be taught. A Gryphon had to learn quickly, while he or she plummeted earthward, or they would die. Since that first flight he had been practicing on his own, trying out his wings. He loved flying.

~~~

Grraack’s Memory

He stepped to the edge of his nest on the cliff side and glanced down. A thousand feet below, the jagged rocks of the mountain top gave way to a thick evergreen forest. His eyes caught a large, juicy rabbit running for cover. A squawk of delight escaped his beak. He looked up. His mother, Rroobee, circled above, no more than a dot in the clear blue sky. His father, Rraauck, stood behind him, as still and silent as the snow-capped mountains.

Grraack flexed his wings. A soft youngling feather poked through his new, proud feathers. Embarrassed, Grraack yanked it out with his beak, hoping his father did not see. Today Grraack would fly for the first time. His heart thundered in his chest. The cliffs held dozens of Gryphons, all pretending not to watch him.

You can do this, Grraack thought. You are strong and brave. Your father is a mighty warrior, as was his father and his father's father. For three hundred generations, the Gryphons of Arthannegh had served as proud mounts to the strongest of the Elven warriors.

Grraack looked down again. Rocks that looked like the spears his parents told him the Orcs carried taunted him, trying to break his spirit. We are your death, they seemed to say. Fall upon us and die.

His mother flew closer and landed on the cliff top beside Rraauck. She read Grraack’s mind and said, Don't look at them! Look up, at the beautiful horizon. Think of flying there and back, hunting for delicious rabbits.

Rraauck said, It is time, son.

The wind is so strong today, father, Grraack said. Perhaps tomorrow would be … 

The scrapes of talons on rock and a sudden push from behind was all the warning Grraack got before the cliff shot past him at dizzying speed. The spears of rock called out for his blood as he fell.

~~~

Today Grraack flew over northern Arthannegh in the early morning mists which crept over mount Oiomysst; his mother, Rroobee, off his left wing and his father, Rraauck, to his right. Grraack was aware of his overly large size. He was half again as big as either of his parents. Their wing spans were large, more than twenty feet, but his wings spanned more than thirty feet. They told him they were proud of his size. They said he would be the mightiest of all Gryphons.

So far he had never flown more than a few hundred feet from his nest. Today the first day of his training as a warrior Gryphon began. His parents told him they would begin by giving him lessons on the geography and civilizations of Arthannegh. They told him they would fly over all the lands of the realm. They would show him the dwellings of all the inhabitants, Elven and human, and tell him of the differences between the various races, physically and philosophically.

He asked his father, When will I learn flight maneuvers and combat tactics?

I will teach them to you soon, son but first you must learn about the peoples and beasts of Arthannegh. Some are friendly. Others are dangerous. You must know the differences and remember them well to survive.

Where is your rider? Why is she not with us?

She has her own life to live. She will call me if I am needed. I will take you to meet her soon.

When will I have a rider of my own?

As soon as your training is complete you may pick one of the Elves to accept as your rider., Rroobee said. The Elves think they choose us as mounts and train us. It is foolishness. No Elf could teach you the things we can teach you. Hush now. Look and listen. We are leaving the mountaintop nesting place of the Gryphons and flying toward Vanilonde, the kingdom of the High Elven.

They flew in silence for a while, soaring over high mountain tops. They descended as Mount Oiomysst sloped down into a river valley. Rraauck said to his son, Look, over to our right. There is South Lake Mysst. A short flight to the north along this same river is North Lake Mysst.

Grraack looked and saw the blue water of the lake glimmering in the sunlight. Near the lake was a circle of large stones. They appeared to have been placed in some sort of pattern. He was about to ask what they were when his mother called out, Dive and bank left with us now. Follow the river valley. We fly to Vanilonde.

The three dove and banked in tight formation, Grraack brought up the rear, copying every movement of his parents’ wings. They flew upstream, low over the river, their front talons and hind paws almost touching the water. They followed its twists and bends as it wound through dense woods growing close to the banks.

Rraauck said, Look there among the trees, son, a mountain lion.

Grraack saw the huge beast staring back at him. There was no sign of the fear Grraack was used to seeing in the eyes of most forest animals. The lion had a body similar to Grraack’s lower body. In fact their bodies were identical up to and including Grraack’s forelegs but Grraack had talons instead of paws in front and his breast was covered with feathers instead of fur. Of course Grraack also had wings and the lion did not. Otherwise it would be easy to mistake a lion for a Gryphon. The lion roared at him and he screeched back his own challenge.

As they flew on, leaving the lion far behind, Grraack said, He looked just like us father, except for our wings and our feathered heads.

Yes. Therein lays one of the biggest problems of our race. I will explain more about this later, when we come to the villages of the humans.

What is that beast called again? Is it dangerous?

It’s a mountain lion. They hunt for meat like we do and are dangerous to most forest creatures and also to Elves and humans. They are no match for Gryphons though, as long as you don’t get caught by them on the ground in a dense forest where you can’t fly. Even then, you are big enough to handle yourself well in a fight with a lion.

After a while they came to a place where the river forked. A small tributary flowed into it from the east. The main river flowed down from another mountain range to the south and joined with the tributary.

Rroobee called out, Bank right with us and follow the main branch up into the mountains. These are the mountains of the High Elves.

Up and ever upward they followed the river as whitewater churned up by rapids crashed down over rocks and thundered over waterfalls. As they ascended, Grraack noticed the river grew smaller in breadth and depth. He asked his parents about this and Rroobee said, The source is a spring inside the castle walls of Vanilonde. It provides water for the High Elves and the excess spills down the mountain to be joined by small tributaries until it becomes the mighty river we were following through the valley.

Rraauck said, Look. Up there above the waterfall stands the Castle of Vanilonde. We are in High Elven territory now. Keep a sharp lookout. The Elves are probably watching us.

Grraack was very excited. Until now he had never seen an Elf. Before today the Gryphons of Oiomysst were the only large sentient creatures he had ever seen. He thought, Most of the intelligent forest creatures know to stay out of the mountains of Oiomysst, the realm of the Gryphons.

Now Grraack could see Vanilonde’s central structure, a beautiful castle set on the very highest point of the mountain atop a rocky ledge. Flowering shrubs grew in profusion all around its base. The flowers gleamed, casting off magical Elven light. Thirteen spire-topped towers rose to great heights from inside the castle walls. Each spire had a different artistic shape and color. From one of the side walls water was surging out with great force through a large round pipe. A waterfall spilled over a high rock ledge, splashing down into a pool which fed into the river and from hence coursed down the mountain.

The three Gryphons flew over the top of the front wall and circled low over the castle grounds, weaving their way through the spires. In the center was a cathedral. Grraack asked, What is the purpose of that huge building with the high peaked roof?

Rroobee replied, It’s the cathedral of Corellon Larethian, god of the Elves of Arthannegh. His worshippers come here to pay him homage and pray to him. Services are held at sunrise on the day of Tarion each week. On rare occasions he comes to the temple and shows himself to his followers.

We do not worship any god do we?

No son. We Gryphons have never had a god of our own. We respect the religions of other races, at least most of them, and we acknowledge the existence of the Creator. We feel there is need for caution. Religion is the single most common cause of wars. The races fight each other over differences between their religious beliefs.

Even the Elves?

Yes, there have been conflicts between different Elven races over religion. We will explain more about this later, after you have seen more of the kingdoms of Arthannegh. Corellon is the god and the head of the main religion for most of the Elves of Arthannegh.

Rraauck screeched out a greeting he knew the Elves would recognize and soon Grraack saw many of them coming out from the doors of all the buildings inside, filling the courtyards, looking up at the Gryphons, pointing and waving to them. Grraack screeched, imitating his father’s greeting.

If Gryphons could smile, Grraack would be beaming now. The High Elves were a grand sight. Both males and females were dressed in fine clothing made from rich fabrics. They had fine delicate features and pointed ears. Both men and women were adorned with artistic silver jewelry. Even though they looked nothing like Gryphons, Grraack could appreciate their beauty.

He found he could naturally understand their language even though it differed radically from that spoken by Gryphons. His mother had told him this would be the case. It was part of a natural bond between the Elven races and the Gryphons. He heard Elves inviting him and his parents to land and visit with them. Rraauck spoke Gryphon back to them, saying, Sorry, not today. Perhaps another time.

As they flew away, Rraauck said to Grraack, They could tell you are a youngling without a rider and wanted to bond you.

I would not mind father. I think it would be good to have one of them as my rider.

Rroobee shook her head at him and said, When you meet your true rider you will know. The attraction between the two of you will be instant. You will choose, not the Elf, but you must let them believe they are choosing you.

Are the High Elves the best of the Elves? Is that why they are called High Elves?

His father replied, "In my opinion all the Elven races are equally good and powerful, each in their own unique way. The Elves of Vanilonde are called High Elves simply because they live on a high mountain peak. Their city is the highest Elven-inhabited area in the realm.

I understand father, thank you.

Come now. We fly to Lorienne next, home of the Grey Elves.

This time they flew straight over the castle wall to the East. They did not stay close to the land as it dropped away below them. The Vanilonde mountain range covered much more territory in the East-West direction so the descent was very gradual. After a while they came to a large lake. As Grraack looked out over the shimmering surface, he could see this lake was not as broad as South Lake Mysst but it was more than twice as long.

The calm water had hardly any ripple on its surface. Rraauck said, This is Lake Lorienne. We will find the Grey Elves’ kingdom at the northeastern end. Let’s skim the water again. Maybe we can catch a fish or two along the way.

Rraauck went into a steep dive with Rroobee and Grraack following. Just as Grraack was sure they would hit the water, Rraauck changed the angle of his wings and leveled out suddenly. Grraack imitated the maneuver and they were now all three zooming over the surface, their talons and paws barely inches above the water.

Ahead of them they saw a school of fish. Frightened by the Gryphons’ shadows, some of the fish were leaping out of the water. Rraauck snatched one with his right front foot, digging his talons into its flesh to hold the fish fast. Blood oozed from the punctures in the fish’s flesh. Rroobee caught another and Grraack managed to grab one too. They landed on a small island and happily ate their fish together - bones, guts and all.

After they finished their meal, they took some time to drink from the clean, pure, mountain lake water. Then they waded into the shallows and bathed, preening their wings with their beaks and licking their fir to clean themselves all over. When they finished Rraauck said, That was delicious. I feel great. A nap would feel good now too but we should press on if we want to reach Lorienne before sundown.

So the three Gryphons took flight again, skimming over the water. Along the way they saw a stag with a large rack of horns, standing by the water’s edge, drinking from the lake. He heard the sound of Gryphon wings flapping, looked up, saw them, and bolted into the forest. Rraauck salivated. He loved to eat deer. He said to Grraack, If we had not just finished having those big fat fish, I would take time out from our journey to hunt that stag.

Will you teach me to hunt someday father?

Yes, I will soon.

~~~

By the time they finally arrived at the end of Lake Lorienne, it was late afternoon. The wind had picked up mists and blew them across the surface of the water in willowy wisps. Grraack looked over at the nearby shore to his right and saw small houses of elegant design built on poles to keep their floors dry during times of rising water. The front decks extended a short way out over the water and he saw Elves sitting out on their decks in chairs watching the Gryphons approach.

Grraack asked, Is that the Grey Elves’ village?

Rroobee laughed at this and said, "No silly, the Grey Elves have many buildings of grand design, built by their master craftsmen. They have marvelous large family houses, public buildings and shops of great beauty. Craftsmen work in the shops, making fine things to trade with the Elves of other cities. None are better craftsmen than the Grey Elves.

These simple huts are the guard posts of the southeastern border of Lorienne. The Elves you see sitting on those decks are guards. We must stop and ask permission to fly over their city. The Grey Elves do not welcome strangers to Lorienne.

What happens if we do not ask permission?

They will blow their horns, signaling the defenders. Many of the Grey Elves ride Gryphons. A squadron will be dispatched to shoot us down with bows and arrows.

Grraack’s head jerked up in surprise. Gryphons would attack other Gryphons?

We will attack anything our Elven rider asks us to attack. However it is not the Gryphons we would have to worry about today. It is the deadly aim of the Grey Elven bowmen. They are renowned as warriors.

The three Gryphons landed in shallow water, a few feet from one of the huts. A guard sitting there on the deck stood up and said, Hail, Gryphons. State your business here and identify yourselves please.

Rraauck said, I am Rraauck. This is my mate, Rroobee, and our son, Grraack. We are taking our son out on his first flight away from Oiomysst. He needs to see, and learn about, all the kingdoms of Arthannegh. Do we have permission to fly over Lorienne?

Permission granted. I will notify the defenders.

The guard blew a series of notes on his horn, a code of some sort, and then waved them on. Rraauck spread his wings and took flight, followed by Rroobee and Grraack. As they passed over the border into Lorienne, Grey Elven bowmen riding Gryphons flew up from the trees toward them. The Grey Elven defenders flew silently along beside them, four on each side.

Rroobee whispered to Grraack, Behave. No fancy flying. We have an escort.

Why are they so militant mother?

They were not always this way. They became so out of necessity. The eastern border of Lorienne is on the edge of the Orc’s Realm. The badlands lay just beyond. Mostly the Orcs do not venture into Elven lands these days but occasionally a raiding party will enter Lorienne.

Why?

They come to kill Elves and to steal Elven maidens for breeding or for food. They hate Elves. Legends say they are descended from Elves but it is hard for me to believe. The Orcs are all ugly and twisted.

Rraauck interrupted, saying, We will speak more about Orcs later son. Now we shall have a look at Lorienne.

They were led on a tour of Lorienne by their Grey Elven escorts. Grraack suspected they were only being allowed to see what the Grey Elves wished them to see. They saw no castle and no city as such. Each house, store, workshop, all buildings, even the public ones, sat on its own large plot of land, surrounded by trees, hills, and streams. The houses were indeed grand. Each was obviously designed to accommodate a large family.

Grraack asked about this and Rroobee said, "The Grey Elves live in extended families, their daughters leave the family to live in the house of their husband’s parents after they marry. Each family is like its own tiny kingdom with the family patriarch as its king.

Grraack said, I would think their houses would get too crowded eventually.

Rroobee said, No. They build additions onto their houses when needed. Also, shifting of houses occurs sometimes. A generation of one of the families might have only daughters. In that case, their house will eventually become empty after their family line is extinguished. A newlywed couple might apply to the Council to be allowed to live in the empty house.

How does that happen if the Elves never die?

Just because Elves are immortal does not mean they never die. Many died in the last Orc war. The Grey Elves have taken the brunt of the Orcs’ attacks, being so close to the border. Other times an Elf might die of a broken heart from the loss of a loved one or from being rejected by a lover. Some die in accidents. Recently humans have come to Arthannegh and they have brought deadly diseases with them. The Elves are not immune to human disease. Actually the only thing that cannot kill an Elf is old age. They never age.

I still think their houses would become overcrowded.

Rroobee shook her head. They don’t have children as often as we do. It is an uncommon event for an Elven female to become pregnant. Sometimes hundreds of years pass between births in an Elven household. Actually the numbers of the Grey Elves have diminished since the coming of the humans.

Are humans evil?

We will fly over their villages soon. I will tell you more about them at that time but, no, I do not think they are evil, just narrow minded and lacking very much intelligence. However, these characteristics do make them unpredictable and often dangerous. They have very short lifespans, usually less than fifty years. This makes them very impatient.

They flew on, observing Elven workshops, merchant shops, libraries and three temples. Rraauck pointed out the largest temple and said, The Grey Elves also worship Corellon Larethian. The difference is they do so in this temple, smaller than the one in Vanilonde. They come alone at random times to pray silently. They have no weekly group worship service like the High Elves.

Tell me which of the Elven races worship Corellon and which do not father.

"Not now. Have patience son. I will tell you as we visit each of them.

What are the other temples for?

The tallest one is the library of the Grey Elven Mages. They keep books filled with knowledge of magic there. Apprentice Mages come there on pilgrimages from all the Elven kingdoms to study under Master Mages. The smallest of the three temples is the ancient temple of Pan. Pan is still worshipped by a few of the Grey Elves. They do so stubbornly, even though Corellon forbids the practice of Pantheism in Arthannegh. There have been battles with the High Elves over this in the past. I think worship of Pan will eventually die out among the Elves.

Tell me more about Pan, father.

I will when we go to Ithylldyn, the home of the Wood Elves. They are the most active worshippers of Pan of any of the Elven races living above ground today. It is almost sundown now. Let us ask our escorts if we can have permission to sleep in their trees for the night.

Permission was granted and the Gryphons roosted in a large mallorn tree. Their escorts vanished as the Gryphons settled in for the night. Rraauck told Grraack, Just because you cannot see them, do not think we are not being watched. The Grey Elves are ever cautious and vigilant. Outsiders will always be watched carefully.

~~~

Grraack woke in the morning to see two Grey Elves, male and a female, bringing him breakfast, more fish freshly caught, still flopping in a bucket. The Gryphons had their breakfast, thanked their Elven hosts, and took flight. They flew only a short distance before the trees and streams below vanished. The land became bleak and barren of life. Rraauck said, These are the badlands, the beginning of the Orc Realms. Be on the lookout for Orcs.

There was not much to see in the badlands, except blasted earth and burned out tree stumps. Grraack asked, How did such devastation occur?

Rroobee answered, All this land for many days’ flight to the east used to be part of fair Arthannegh and as beautiful as any land you have seen. Arthannegh was called Westernesse in those days. The Orcs invaded in great hordes and slaughtered many Elves. They burned and killed and destroyed everything in their path. At first only the Grey Elves tried to defend against them, gradually retreating from the onslaught of the Orc forces. Finally Corellon asked the other Elven races to come to their aid and the Orcs were beaten back by the united forces of the Elves.

Rraauck was hoping they might see some Orcs, just so Grraack would know what they looked like. However, he knew this was unlikely so close to the border. All they had seen so far was barren land, devoid of any life.

Grraack asked, What do the Orcs eat? I see nothing edible here.

Rraauck said, They eat mostly Elves and humans. They breed prisoners like animals for food. They are cannibals, even eating each other sometimes.

Silence followed this horrible revelation. Then Rraauck said, A few demons live in the Orc realms as well. They are the most dangerous of all races. They have powerful evil magic and some are capable of flying. They are almost impossible to kill. Fortunately there are not more than a handful of them left. Corellon personally killed many demons during the Orc wars. That probably explains why the Elves worship him as a god."

Do the Orcs have a god too?

Yes, they worship Gruumsh, the god of evil. Some say he has other names as well but that is what the Elves call him. He is capable of creating Demons, although not very rapidly, and some say he may have created the Orcs by breeding Elves with Demons. This may be true as all Orcs are tall and have pointed ears like the Elves.

Suddenly Rroobee said, Look, over there. A squadron of armed and armored Orcs is headed for Lorienne.

The Orcs didn’t have bows so the Gryphons flew down for a closer look. Grraack studied the hideous creatures. Their ears were pointed but not beautiful like an Elf’s. These ears were large and fat. The Orcs were hairy and wore their hair braided. They had teeth like wolves with two large fangs top and bottom which protruded from their drooling mouths. Their foreheads receded and their eyes were red, beady and cold.

He counted twenty of them. They were heavily armored and each was carrying either an axe or a spear. They were as tall as Elves and much more broad shouldered and muscular. He asked, Shall we turn back and warn the Grey Elves?

Just then a horn sounded and Rraauck said, "No need, the lookouts have already seen them and sounded the alarm. The Elves will deal with them easily. Come. We fly south. We have a long trip ahead of us today.

"We will fly over a wilderness lake high in the Vanilonde Mountains. Then we will cross the River Arthannegh, the biggest river in the realm. It divides the realm in two, flowing from east to west, and finally emptying into the great ocean of Westernesse.

The river will mark the halfway point and from there we fly to the territory of the Saxon humans. There I will show you Kande, their principal village. Conserve your strength now, no more questions. We want to be there before dark.

~~~

Despite his father’s admonition, Grraack could not help asking a question when he saw the naked female swimming in the lake below. She was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. He asked his father, Is she a human?

Who?

Grraack curved the tips of his wings to point and said, The female down there in the lake. We are not near any of the Elven villages and she is all alone.

She may be a Water Nymph. Be quiet and do not frighten her. Be careful not to let your shadow pass over her.

What is a Nymph?

Rraauck sighed. Conversation while flying during an all day trip would be tiring. He thought, There is no help for it. Grraack is such an inquisitive boy. He said, "You really have no need to know anything about Nymphs. They never bond with Gryphons or have any dealings with us and they are no danger to us either. To satisfy your curiosity I will tell you what little I know about them. I do not really know very much.

Nymphs are creatures with a small amount of magic. In that respect they are similar to Elves. They are also immortal and as you have seen they are very beautiful. All of them are extraordinarily pretty. They were created to be consorts of the god of the Pagans, Pan.

Oh yes, you told me about Pan. He is the god of the Wood Elves. So the wood Elves are Pagans then?

Many of them yes. All of them worshipped Pan originally, until the advent of Corellon.

"What is a consort? Are there male Nymphs too?

The males of their species are called Satyrs. A consort is an intimate companion. All the Nymphs couple with Pan whenever he wants. They also couple with the Satyrs. Also the Satyrs and Nymphs all frequently seduce and couple with humans and with those Elves who worship Pan.

Do they have children as a result of these couplings?

No, both Nymphs and Satyrs are sterile. If one dies, Pan simply creates another, fully mature. Some legends say the reincarnated ones were Elves in a past life.

I am drawn to this Nymph father. May I bond with her and take her as my rider?

No son, that’s impossible. Only Elves can bond with Gryphons. There has never been a Gryphon who had a Nymph for a rider. Nymphs have no reason to want to ride a Gryphon. They are totally peaceful creatures whereas our main purpose in life is to have an Elf ride us into battle.

Graack was immensely saddened to hear this. He remembered what his father had said about how he would be able to tell when he saw his rider for the first time. He said the attraction between us would be instant. He had that feeling now. She is the one, I know it. I have to see if she feels it too. He kept this thought to himself but he could not resist having a closer look. Breaking formation from his parents, He swooped down toward the water.

Rroobee called out, No son. Come back.

Grraack ignored her and kept diving. He had to see this creature close up. As he drew near, she must have heard his wings or seen his shadow on the water because she rolled over in the water onto her back and looked up at him. He was close enough now to see her deep blue eyes and was even more smitten by her beauty.

The Nymph did not seem frightened of him, despite what his father had said. She smiled at him, making his heart beat rapidly. She waved coyly. Knowing Elves could understand the speech of Gryphons, Grraack said, Hello.

The Nymph did not answer. Instead she dove under the water and disappeared. Grraack’s mother and father caught up to him and flew on each side. Stop this foolishness Grraack, his father said sternly. She is gone now. You frightened her. Water Nymphs can stay underwater for long periods of time so you will not see her again. We must go or we will never make Kande before nightfall.

She smiled at me father. She is the one for me. I know she feels it too.

His father had nothing to say this. He looked puzzled. Grraack knew his father had seen the Nymph smile at him. Raauck said, I cannot explain it. In all my past experiences with them, the shy Nymphs have always skittered away at the first sight of a Gryphon.

Rroobee said, You best put her out of your mind son. She is a Nymph and cannot be your rider. I am sorry.

Grraack did not accept this as final but, reluctantly, he flew on southward with his parents, leaving the wilderness lake behind. They descended from the mountains of Lorienne. Soon they came to the River Arthannegh. The wide ribbon of flowing water stretched from the eastern horizon to the western, as far as the sharp eye of a Gryphon could see. Grraack looked forward eagerly to seeing the Westernesse Ocean. Perhaps he would see more Water Nymphs there.

It was a long uninteresting flight to Kande. As Rraauck had predicted, it took as much time as their flight to the River Arthannegh had taken. By the time they could see the huts of the Saxons, the sun was touching the Western horizon. Rraauck said to his son, Be careful now. Humans are superstitious, closed minded, and dangerous. Stay high as we fly over their village. They may shoot arrows at us.

Why?

Mountain lions sometimes come to the outlying Saxon farms and eat sheep, cows, and horses belonging to the humans. We look somewhat like lions from the neck down so they think we eat their animals.

Have we ever?

"No. A Gryphon would never attack animals belonging to someone else. Humans do not understand our language like the Elves do so we cannot explain to them that we are not lions and will not eat their property.

"They are hostile toward the Elves too. They do not understand the Elven ways and don’t attempt to communicate with them. Most humans, both Saxons and Romans, are afraid of the Elves’ magic. They call the female Elves ‘witches’ and the male Elves ‘warlocks.’ These ignorant ones believe the Elven ceremonies they have observed are a form of devil worship. Even though the Saxons and the Romans are enemies, many of them share this stupid superstition about Elves. Actually, most of them do. Beware the humans, son. They shoot Gryphons on sight and have often burned Elves at the stake.

Kande was a large sprawling village of several thousand huts. The Saxon huts were crude hovels made of sticks, covered with hides or canvas and caulked with mud. They had straw thatched roofs. Each was a one room dwelling with room enough only for sleeping or shelter from rain. Outside each hut was a cook pot. Grraack observed Saxon men, women and children walking about the village, doing their evening chores after finishing their supper. They were dressed in unadorned animal hides. Horses were being fed and watered in a corral.

One of the humans spotted the Gryphons flying over the village and shouted the alarm. Soon many of the Saxons were grabbing their bows and arrows and firing at the Gryphons. Rraauck said, I know from experience the range of these weapons. I had some close calls in the past. Stay at this altitude with me and we should be safe.

Grraack watched the arrows fall harmlessly back to the earth. He knew his father was right about these humans. They were indeed dangerous and to be avoided. His father was a wise Gryphon, right about most things.

Rraauck said, Come, let us find a safe place to spend the night, far away from this village.

~~~

They flew across a very large lake. Rraauck said it was the largest of all the many lakes of Arthannegh. He said, I hear the Saxons have renamed it ‘Lake Saxony.’ It had another name long ago, before humans arrived here, but that name is forgotten now.

On the other side of the lake they settled into a large tree for the night and Rraauck agreed to answer all Grraack’s many questions.

Rraauck told Grraack, "The Saxons invaded Arthannegh from the north many years ago. They were not very knowledgeable about farming but they were skilled hunters. They had a religion in common with some of the Elves. These Saxons of today, as in those days, are worshippers of Pan. It is mainly them the Nymphs go with when not called upon to play with Pan.

"The Elves and Gryphons soon learned to avoid the Saxons because they brought deadly diseases with them and they were prone to violence against all other creatures. There have been a few friendships between Elves and Saxons over the centuries but for the most part the Elves have stayed away from the Saxon villages.

"The Saxons did not like to live in mountains so they moved into this valley south of the River Arthannegh. The valley land is fertile for the simple farming they do and for grazing their animals. Elves once lived in the river valley too. The humans drove them out but not before many Elves died from diseases brought by the Saxons. The Saxons die of these diseases too but Saxon life is short anyhow, by any comparison, averaging only 32 years.

"The Elves were horrified when the Saxons captured some of the female Elves, tied them to stakes with dry straw piled around their legs and then set fire to them, cheering as the Elven women screamed and burned to death. Because of this, some of the Elves fought the Saxons for a while, trying to drive them out of Arthannegh but more kept coming from the east.

"The leaders of the Elves decided to retreat back into the mountain wildernesses and keep well away from humans. The surviving Elves formed two new kingdoms in the mountains, Vanilonde and Lorienne. A few did not care for mountain life any more than the Saxons and these Elves fled west into the deep lowland forests where there were no humans. These became the Wood Elves and they built Ithylldyn, a city in the treetops.

Tomorrow morning we will visit the two other human settlements. They are both Roman. The largest is the seaport city, Teradryn. More Romans are still arriving there every month. They come in big ships rowed by slaves. Northwest of Teradryn is the city of Jorredun which used to be part of Saxon territory. The Romans have been warring with the Saxons for over 100 years now and are slowly winning the struggle for territory. They make slaves of the conquered Saxons. All of the lowlands of Arthannegh used to be Saxon territory before the Romans came. I think soon the Saxons will either be wiped out or assimilated by the Romans.

Grraack interrupted at this point, asking, How do you know these things about the humans, father? You don’t speak their language and they don’t speak ours.

"The Elves all have magical powers to learn the language of others easily. Some of the Saxons became Elf friends. My rider’s name is Ryyssa, a Drow Elf. She has ties to the Saxons. She told me the history of the humans in Arthannegh.

"When she was young and adventurous she wandered the realm and she met a handsome young Saxon named Mazadan. He had gone hunting alone and got lost in the mountains. She helped him find his way home and as they walked and talked, he seduced her. They fell in love. She moved into his hut and lived with him. He was her only lover until he died in a battle with the Romans.

"Ryyssa soon had two daughters by him. She named them Nyneve and Viviane. She does not know what became of them after they married and left home. Their husbands took them away on quests and never returned. Fourteen years after the birth of Viviane, she and Mazadan had another daughter, Igraine, an unusually beautiful child. When Igraine was only 15 years old Gorlois became king of the Saxons and claimed her as his bride. Neither Igraine nor Ryyssa had any choice in the matter.

After Mazadan died in battle, Ryyssa went back to live with the Elves again and became a leader among them. At this time she was a High Elf. The making of the Drow Elves happened shortly thereafter."

Grraack was excited by this turn in the tale and could not help asking, So this lady, Igraine, of whom you speak, she is queen of the Saxons and she is half Elven?

That is correct son, and my rider is her mother.

Then Igraine should tell the Saxons not to harm Elves or Gryphons.

She has tried, but closed-minded, prejudiced, superstitious people are hard to convince. She is, however, the main source of my knowledge about the humans. She still manages to stay in touch with her mother. Defying Gorlois, she will sometimes ride a horse out into the mountains and they will meet. I have carried my rider to many of these meetings.

How do they know where to meet and how do they know when?

They always meet on the day of each solstice and each equinox at the magical circle of stones. My rider says the place is protected by Pan and no harm can come to anyone while they are inside the circle. Some of the Drow Elves have their solstice and equinox celebrations there at midnight.

Will we be visiting the Drow Elves on this trip too?

Oh yes. I have not told you this before but my rider became queen of the Drow Elves. We will be welcome among them.

Grraack was too flabbergasted by this revelation to say anything more. He thought, My father’s rider is the queen of the Drow Elves and her daughter is queen of the Saxons. Amazing! He fell asleep and dreamed of Elves and Saxons.

~~~

In the morning the Gryphons hunted and killed a wild boar which they shared for breakfast. Then they flew across Lake Saxony again but in a southerly direction away from Kande. They saw the walls of Teradryn at mid-day. Rraauck reminded his son of the dangers. He said, The Romans have a weapon called the cross bow. It has a much longer range than the Saxons’ long bows. We must fly even higher as we pass over Teradryn.

As they passed over the wall, flying from the North, Rraauck said, These first buildings you see are the smaller houses of the lower class Romans, the workers and shop keepers. They are well built houses made of stone, not as beautiful as the dwellings of the Elves but much more civilized than the crude huts of the Saxons."

Many of the townspeople pointed up at them but none shot at them like the Saxons had. It was a huge city, much bigger than any of the Elven cities they had visited. They kept flying south, passing over central Teradryn. There was a large building with marble columns. Rraauck pointed it out saying, "This is where the men meet who rule the Romans of Arthannegh. The palace next to it is the home of Aurelius Ambrosius, the Roman king of what they call Northern Britannia, and his brother Uther. They are the sons of the Roman Emperor, Constantine III.

Constantine was governor over all of Britannia but he has gone back to Gaul after the death of his father, leaving in his place Aurelius as king of Northern Britannia and Aurelias’ brother Constans as King of Southern Britannia. As you can see, the homes in this area of the city are much grander and more elaborate than the houses of the working class. Most of them belong to the 60 members of the ruling class, called Senators.

Next they came to the harbor area. The houses became smaller again and there were many shops lining the main street. Rraauck said, These houses belong to the soldiers and sailors who are responsible for the defense of Teradryne.

The harbor itself was filled with ships of all sizes. Rraauck said, Some of these are warships, others are merchant ships and still others are used as passenger ships, mostly for transporting soldiers and their families and ruling class members to and from the mainland continent.

It was a busy place, with ships being loaded with exports and unloading imports from other lands. A transport ship was unloading passengers, a company of Roman soldiers. The dock workers were too busy to notice the Gryphons flying over them.

They flew over the city at a high altitude so Grraack was not able to see much detail. He said, None of the Romans shot arrows at us.

Rraauck said, I noticed. Perhaps they feel secure within these walls. Probably they have not seen many mountain lions enter the city. The Romans are not being friendly, trust me. They are just not afraid of us like the Saxons were.

They flew south over the water from the harbor. This body of water stretched south as far as Grraack’s sharp eyes could see. The land on either side drew away as the inlet grew into a bay which then widened further into a sea. Grraack asked, Is this Westernesse Ocean?

No, this is only the Great Bay of Arthannegh. It empties into the ocean though, further south. From this point, all the land as far as you could fly in a month is the realm of the Romans. Rome itself lies at the very end of that journey. They have conquered all the realms between here and there.

Have you ever seen Rome?

No, I have only heard the tales told to me by my rider.

What did you say her name was again, father?

Her name is Ryyssa now but she was once called Terdelaschoye before she became a Drow Elf. Bank to the left with me in a sharp turn, Grraack. We fly northwest to Jorredun now.

~~~

Jorredun was the most unremarkable city Grraack had seen so far. It was a mean dusty compound, a military outpost with log walls instead of the fine stonework of the walls of Teradryn. Instead of houses there were rows of military tents. There were few women to be seen. Grraack asked about this and Rraauck said, The soldiers’ wives are not permitted here. The few women you see are camp followers, mostly widows of Saxon men killed in battle with the Romans. Some are slaves.

Grraack said he thought the soldiers wives would object. Rraauck answered, Women are not held in high regard by Romans. The soldier’s wives are not informed of their husband’s dalliances while away from home.

This time Grraack was glad they were flying high over the city because when the lookouts spotted them, a squad of crossbow archers cranked up their weapons and fired upon the Gryphons. Graack was amazed at the range of these weapons. He made a mental note to stay clear of Roman soldiers.

Rraauck said, "There was once a Saxon village here by the name Jorredun. The Romans came with a large army and attacked. It was a very unequal battle. The Romans had four times as many men as the Saxons. The Saxons did not have any armor whereas the Romans had helmets, breast plates, and shields. The Romans had superior weapons. Ryyssa tells me her daughter was here at the time. In those days, this was the main city of the Saxons. They even built a few shops here for making tools and weapons. Scouts warned Gorlois of the advancing Roman army. He and Igraine escaped to Kande before the battle began.

The Romans destroyed everything of the Saxons. They burned every house and shop. They killed most of the men and those were the lucky ones. They nailed the ones who surrendered to wooden crosses and left them hanging on their crosses to die. They raped their young women and made all the women and children slaves. This is the Roman way.

Grraack said, They sound like very bad creatures.

Rroobee said, What do you expect? They are humans. Stay away from them, Grraack. All of them are dangerous. You never know what to expect from a human.

There was not much to see at Jorredun so Rraauck led them on to their next destination. They banked left and flew over a medium sized lake lying immediately west of Jorredun. Rraauck said, This body of water is named Lake Connyys but Ryyssa does not know who named it so or why. Perhaps it was named after a legendary Saxon hero. The Romans will probably rename it eventually. From here we will fly due west, crossing over the Southern Arthannegh Mountains. We will go to Ithylldyn next, the treetop city of the Wood Elves.

As the land rose up below them, Rroobee said, You have seen most of the realm of Arthannegh now Grraack. What do you think of it?

I love it, replied Grraack. There is everything anyone could want here. There are so many lakes with delicious fishes to eat. The land is covered with forests, thick with beautiful trees of many different varieties. There is plentiful wild game to hunt. The lakes are nestled beautifully in valleys between tall mountains. I am inspired by the beauty of Arthannegh mother. I cannot imagine there could be anywhere more wonderful to live.

Without lips, Rroobee was incapable of smiling at her son the way a human or Elven mother would. However, he could see the smile twinkle in her eyes. He thought, I guess I said what she wanted to hear. He felt good.

They flew over a high mountain ridgeline and the land dropped away again, down into a wilderness river valley. Grraack asked its name but Rraauck said it was a wild river and had never been named. After the river the land rose toward them again and they crossed another mountain ridge.

On the western side of the mountains they came to a beautiful big valley filled with trees. There was not any land where a tree was not growing. The trees grew close to each other, their limbs entwining like lovers, making an impenetrably dense forest. The Gryphons were flying at a high altitude. Grraack could see an enormous body of water to the west of the forest, stretching out to the horizon as far as his eyes could seec. Rraauck saw him looking at it and said, "That is the vast Westernesse Ocean. The forest below