Adventures in Telaria - Elith

By Justin Vining

Elith Elidove was once a commoner, maid, and aspiring young musician. She played in a band with her parents and boyfriend for years, building their reputation and credibility as professional entertainers. Elith & her band turned into celebrities after her strange encounter with a peculiar halfling who enchanted her most important possession of all, her lute. The halfling promised SHE would return the favor to him, one day...
Later Elith struggles on her own after a bitter conflict and loss. After many close calls forcing her to learn from her own weaknesses, see wises up, finds new friends, and seeks justice for a wrong done to her and her family.
This story is an emotional and psychological thrill ride.
Of course cameos from my other books made it in. The timeline is that around Velora but starts elsewhere in Telaria. Also BONUS material!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Dec 6, 2017
• ISBN: 9781387423835

Book preview

Adventures in Telaria - Elith

Adventures in Telaria -

Elith

A young adult fantasy novel, of emotion, psychology, and leadership.

By Justin Vining of JTVbooks

Copyright November 2017

Edit June 2018

Note: musical references, lyrics, or quotes in this book are copyrights of their own respective record labels, artist, and such. JTVbooks does not claim ownership or copyright on these (apart from the first one in chapter 1).

Contact: [e-mail]

Please like JTV Books on facebook.

JTV Books - FB

Introduction

Set in Telaria, a world in the A Tale of Realms Unknown series. The timeframe of this novel is around that in the novel Velora.

This story follows a female half elf named Elith Elidove. She has two passions, music and conversation. Elith was introduced early to music and is particularly experienced with the lute. Elith and her parents played the occasionally show for extra coin, though it was never enough to cover the cost of living. They strived, practiced, and worked hard for countless years building their talent, reputation, and credibility in their hometown of Sagano in Eastern Telaria. Sogano is a quaint, moderately sized town, composed mostly of humans and elves. It's a trade hub, has great fishing, and is small port city to the Diminishing seas.

Her father was a carpenter, her mother a seamstress, and Elith a maid. Kenith is an old family friend who joined their band many years back.

We begin this story at the end of their meager beginnings and at the start of their popularity.

Chapter 1 - Modest beginnings

Inside the Wooden Mug Pub lies more than 30 patrons, all of which are indulging standard fare of grilled meats, fish, wine, ale and the like. The atmosphere is happy, calm, and anxious for some music to start. A few whispers and conversations among the clinks of tableware are all that's heard. The bar on the right takes up most of this square room’s wall. The left wall has large, raised booths that are turned to face the stage on the back wall. The stage itself is raised above the floor a couple steps and is brightly lit with everlit torches and magical string lights of bright colors.

On this wooden stage stands Lukas, an elven man with his deep brown hair pulled back into a ponytail. He holds a large bass lute and is dressed in a simple green button down shirt and brown baggy pants. He stands near the edge of the stage with a smile. The lights brighten his complexion and reveal his rough hands and skin of a lifelong laborer.

Lukas announces to the crowd, I want to thank everyone for coming out tonight and the Wooden Mug Pub for hosting us. I am Lukas Elidove of the Elidove band and I'm proud to introduce...

He gently bows. Silence and attention have filled the room. Expectation and anxiety build on everyone's faces.

Three others appear from behind a curtain and walk onto the stage one at a time.

Lukas announces My wife Larah…

The first is tall and slender human female. She wears a silver gown and her blonde hair is brushed to one side. She carries a flute in one hand and a violin in the other.

Lukas then announces ...Kenith…

The second is a human male with partial elven ears that show through his short, parted down the middle black hair. He wears a fitting plaid collared shirt, and beige straight pants that both show off his fit physique and broad shoulders.

Lukas announces even prouder, "...and last but not least, my lovely daughter Elith…"

Last and shortest of the bunch is a female with obvious half elven ears that are unobscured with her dark brown hair pulled and tied up into pigtails. She wears a clean, bright red dress, and calf high heeled boots. She carries a purple lute with her initials written in curved fancy lettering.

The four stand before the crowd and gently bow. The tavern patrons clap briefly then remain silent in anticipation yet again.

Elith nods to her father with a smile, he nods back then taps his boot loudly and repeatedly on the wood stage.

Moments later, he begins to play a blues scale bass rhythm and pattern. Elith grins as she joins in with a melody rhythm matching him. Larah picks up next with a soothing violin part in the same scale.

The song is upbeat, bluesy, and has some country twang. Kenith waits for his part, then starts in with a low and strong tone...

Far away, and all so lost, my dear, my love, my heart...I must be off to find her, I need to get my start.... My ale, my ale, I drank her till she dried! My ale, my ale! Such a pain to tell this tale…

The song continues and grows progressively louder. The patrons tap, stomp, and clap to the rhythm, at first gently, then picking up louder.

"...I've got the hops, you've got the grain! I’ll boil the water tomorrow. We will start our batch with the light of a match, then we will drown, our, sorrows!....My Ale! My Ale! I drank her till she dried! My ale, my ale! Such a pain to tell this tale...."

At this point most patrons are singing along with them. All faces are flushed red with joy and booze. Belches are faintly heard by Elith, which makes her giggle some as she plays. Her smile widens even more.

Elith’s heart, soul, and life is this moment. She is with her family and Kenith, who she particularly trades flirting glances with throughout their show. The familiar and practiced songs flow easily from her memories, then transfer through her body with a warmth, and energy. Her fingers translate and plays back the song she remembers. The process fills her soul and being. Nothing else matters.

They play several similar style songs with various solos by Larah who sweeps up and down scales with her violin and Elith who picks strings rapidly and shreds scales up and down her entire lute.

They end their performance with a rock star like ending and strike with a single, final, loud note. The already standing crowd cheers and claps wildly, demanding an encore.

A large man in a fine buttoned suit walks on stage yelling, The bar is closing! Last call! Get your drinks then get home!...

He turns to the performers then continues, ...Thanks and over a round of applause to the Elidove band for a fine performance!

All the patrons clap and cheer. The band bows in return then slowly walks through the curtain and backstage.

Elith’s smile fades as the curtains are pulled back for her by Kenith. It's not because of his kind gesture that she isn't smiling, but something, else... She stops briefly and feels compelled to look back into the crowd. She glances at the now 50 or so standing patrons but one sticks out to her, a male halfling. He wears the finest suit she has ever seen. He sits back lazily near the stage with a smile the width of his face, staring at her. He nods to her then she is released from her trance. She shakes her head clear and continues backstage to the dressing room.

The four sit back and relax in couches as drinks and snacks are brought to them. They catch their breath, stretch their limbs, and breath deep as they drop from their emotional high. This familiar procedure Elith knows as their cooldown. They don't speak apart from sighs and the typical good job comments.

After a few minutes, Elith realizes the halfling's face is still in her mind and grows progressively bigger. At one point she can't shake it away then feels compelled to get up and find him, as odd as that sounds.

She gets up and gets a strange look from her troupe (band).

Kenith is first to say mockingly Where you headed?

Elith shakes her head. Inside her cloudy mind an artificially placed response pops up that she instinctively complies by saying unsurely, "the...bathroom?"

Kenith nods convincingly then sits back.

Larah and Lukas sit back together with their eyes closed and appear to nap.

As Elith leaves the room, she looks back and sees Kenith seem to also lay back for a nap as well.

She knows this is odd, they usually rest for half an hour then or so, then go to their inn and sleep there. The taverns usually kick them out after a short rest period, for closing.

Elith exits the back door of the tavern, alone, something she didn't expect to do. She looks around the dark alley and regains her composure, shaking her head clear yet again. She looks around confused, shrugs, then turns back to the door, only to see the familiar halfling in her face, brightly lit with a magical torch in his hand.

Hello miss Elidove.

Chapter 2 - Familiar stranger

Elith stands back immediately, confused and fearful. The halfling’s hand grabs hers against her will and pulls her back to him. She at first tries to break free but then feels a calming, soothing, essence flow from his hands then up her arm and finally settle sweetly in her head. She relaxes and calms. She knows she doesn't know him, but feels like she can immediately trust him.

The halfing speaks softly to her "My dear Elith, I wish not to harm you. I am only your biggest fan! I mean, pardon my size, and the pun…"

He jumps down off a barrel and looks up to her as he bows gently.

Elith let's out a brief chuckle at his pun as he is as short as the barrel. She nods and says oddly, Sorry, Mr…?

Buggles, Berenger Buggles! He informs her proudly.

She continues unsurely, ...Mr. Buggles, I don't think I have ever seen you at any of our shows…or in our town...

Mr. Buggles laughs heartily, It is hard to see a handsome short halfling among tall elves and humans, yes?

Elith wants to disagree as he would stand out in a crowd, again another pun...But she feels compelled to nod and agree. She then feels a question form in her mind from elsewhere.

She asks this question against her will, "What is it that you can do, for me, Mr Buggles?"

Mr. Buggles laughs saying, Let's go inside! I will be happy to show you!

Mr. Buggles opens the door and motions for her. Following a mental compulsion, Elith walks in, leading him through the hallway and into the dressing room. She goes straight to her lute and grabs it. As she turns around, a brief glance at her bandmates reveals that are indeed sleeping. She then sits as if mentally commanded, yet she isn't upset about it.

Mr. Buggles stands before her, "Hand it over darling. I promise you won't be disappointed!"

Elith knows she would never offer her lute to anyone except Lukas, who made it for her. However, she is compelled to hand it over, and feels okay to do so. She offers it to him and watches him take her lute and immediately play a few random notes on it. Her eyes are locked on him but her peripheral vision reveals his sounds don't cause her bandmates to stir. She continues watching him play random notes in no particular pattern or rhythm. She has no idea what he is doing, why, or his end goal.

After a minute or so, he jumps on the couch with her and wiggles behind her. She would otherwise be uncomfortable with this, but at this moment her cloudy mind says it's just fine. He places her lute in her lap and helps her hands to hold it as if they are about to have her first tutorial session. Again, in any other situation, she knows she would feel insulted, and her personal space violated.

Elith hears Mr. Buggles whisper some unknown language and feels her lute warm up and seemingly glow in her hands.

Kenith stirs and moans a moment, forcing her to snap out of her trance like state briefly.

Mr. Buggles immediately and strongly says, No! It's not morning yet!

Kenith immediately fall back asleep and Elith’s attention is pulled back to Mr. Buggles and her lute.

For several minutes, this warmth, glow, and bonding with her lute, grows then caps.

Elith feels connected differently to her lute now. She knows it was custom made for her by her father, a master carpenter. She knows all its edges, curves, lines, and the few imperfections. But she now feels a soulmate like connection to it, an energy. It draws from her and gives back.

Elith feels slowly and gently released from her trance and snaps her head up to Mr. Buggles who smiles smugly to her.

Well my dear, play it! We have all night!

Elith shakes her head clear then feels compelled to play.

Elith prepares her pick in her right hand and places her left hand around the fretboard. The lute in her hands feels like the same lute, but also a completely different one at the same time. She is startled as the first note she plays is louder and has a bolder, unrealistic, altered tone.

Elith enrages, breaking through a wall in her cloudy mind, then says angrily, "What did you do to my lute little man!? I'll have you arrested for whatever…you...are...doing...to...me……."

Elith fades off into deep relaxation.

Mr. Buggles pushes her back into the couch gently then lays her down. Her eyes flutter then close, her last image is of his same smug smile. The last thing she hears is, "This lute will make you famous, enjoy while it lasts. I'll find you later when, I need you..."

Elith awakens an unknown time later. Her parents and Kenith are still asleep on adjacent couches. She gets up while rubbing her head, it feels like it has been scrambled.

She touches Kenith to wake him with no success. She then yells to him, still no success. She looks to the door, expecting the pub owner to come in and tell them to leave. He does not come.

Elith curiously walks out onto the pub floor and sees its dark, only a few torches are still lit. No one is around. She walks to the bar, then past and into the kitchen where she finds the owner and an employee similarly asleep, on the floor.

She gently kicks the owner with her foot and he doesn't budge.

What is going on?! she says aloud to herself.

Elith walks back to parents and Kenith. She tries to wake her parents by poking them but with no luck. Elith’s worry fades as she knows they are ok, watching their chests moving up and down with deep, heavy, slow breaths. She hovers over Kenith a moment. She gets close to his face. Her face gets warm as a smile blossoms. She sighs as she kisses him softly.

Wake up soon please. I don't like whatever is going on…

She fluffs his hair, steps back, and says a shy, I love you…

Elith sits in her couch and looks over at her lute. She instinctively picks it up and immediately begins playing a new and unfamiliar fast paced blues rhythm. She then starts picking notes randomly, in broken scales, that still work in melody and tune, somehow.

Her mood and mind instantly clear as her lute seems to connect with her soul. Before, she hated, but now craves her lute’s new sound, tone, and loudness. She becomes