The Adventure Begins (ch1)

         “Never go outside, these walls keep us safe al nen.” Words from my mother, stretching as far back as I could remember. She would always tell me terrible stories about the humans, the muhi. About how their burning hatred, about their pointless raids against the elves. The disdain that they held for our kind was shown clearly in her stories. They told me not to leave the wall. Even as I grew older, I heard reports of small bands of my kind being attacked out of malice, of traders not being accepted in human cities. It was no longer a story when I say my bloodied kin being dragged in through the front gates after an unprecedented attack. My mother told me to shield my eyes, that it was no sight for a boy.
         Despite all the horror stories and reports, I still desire to escape these walls to see the outside world. Every day that I grow older, the stone feels more and more like it’s going to suffocate me. However if I told my mother, she would give me one of her disapproving looks, chastise me, and tell me horrible stories. But stories will not affect my growing desire to explore. My desire to be free.
         I am soon to enter my ittea years where I am assigned a job by the elders, but my mother is trying to put me into a safe job inside the city. She’ll hear naught of my excited rambles on being an explorer or a tradesman, even a soldier. I fear that she will attempt to influence them with her current position and may even attempt to get our leaders help. Then i’d be stuck in some boring job, doomed to be unsatisfied.
         I was not about to settle with being trapped in, so that’s how I ended up next to the gate looking for an opportunity to escape. This is not the first time I’d done so, but of my other tries only one led me to escape. However, this was when I was younger, not knowing what to do or where to go, lingering outside the cities walls until a patrol found me and returned me home. That taste of the outside world was all I needed to know that I couldn’t stay here forever. Nobody could keep me here, I don’t give a damn if they say it’s for my own safety. Today was the day I escaped for good.
         “Alyan,” a voice whispered behind me, causing me to jump.
         I whirled around, coming face to face with my friend Meldiron. I took a moment to catch my breath before replying in a harsh whisper. “Mel, why are you here?”
         He let out a soft chuckle, his emerald eyes shining. “I had a feeling you were going to pull this stunt again letan, I simply couldn’t allow you to.”
         “Well why not, what I do is none of your business,” I retorted, venom in my words.
         A look of hurt flashed across his face, making me regret my words.
         He sighed, “As your closest friend, I am simply trying to make sure you’re safe. You didn’t even prepare belongings to take.”
         I tried not to roll my eyes. “You sound like my mother. I don’t need any of my belongings where I’m going.”
         “Well, you wouldn’t get very far without food.” He held out a freshly made loaf of bread, probably prepared by his father. I couldn’t help the rumble my stomach let out as the realization I was hungry made it’s way to my brain. Meldiron laughed, tearing the loaf in half and handing me a part. I nibbled at it, using the manners my mother had taught me.
         “Thank you,” I mumbled with food in my mouth, earning a brilliant beam from him.
         We sat there in my little nook for a while, slowly eating the bread he bought. It was about midday by this point, which makes sense to why I was so hungry. I wished this day would last forever, because it may be the last day I can enjoy myself.
         “So, Meldiron, what was your Ittea ceremony?” I asked, curious to what it was like. Meldiron had his ceremony almost two cycles ago, yet I never wanted to ask. Some part of me felt that if I asked, it was confirming the reality that I would have to go through the same thing.
         He shrugged, taking time to swallow before answering. “Nothing special, a lot of chanting in the old language. I asked my father what it was about afterward, he said they were recognizing me as a full member of society and blessing my future. He knows just a little of the old language, so I didn’t know how much help he’d be.”
         I groaned dramatically, “So that’s what I have to look forward to? A bunch of elders chanting in a language I don’t understand.”
         Meldiron punching me lightly in the shoulder. “Hey, respect your elders young man.”
         “Oh and Meldiron,” I started, almost hesitant to ask, “You were okay with the job you were assigned?”
         Meldiron shrugged again, watching the gate as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. The silence settled heavily over us. Eventually, he responded, “You know, I quite enjoy being a smith. Well apprentice. Though I still feel I would have prefered being a baker like my parents, but Tyleria put me in this place for a reason. I will fulfill my job to the best ability, until I re-approach the elders later in life to request a change. Who knows, maybe by then I’ll want to stay a smith.”
         My friend’s optimism brought a smile to my face, but worry still clouded my thoughts. “Do you think.. That my mother will influence the elders into placing me into a job that doesn’t fit Tyleria’s plans for me?”
         “Well, your mother has powerful influence, but the elders may also fear to act against Tyleria’s will. Yet some may fear your mother’s ill-will.”
         I sighed, playing with some of the grass that grew through the cracks in the stone. “I fear that. The elders think highly of my mother as well, that can’t be helped.”
         “You know, you may not have to worry about whatever job you’re stuck in for very long, right? With your mother soon to marry our leader, you will become next in line. Everyone knows the current linage will end with Taron, for he cannot have children.”
         “Of course I know, that’s why my mother is more paranoid about my leaving the city these days. It was bad when the muni killed my father, I didn’t think she could get worse yet she did. Plus, no matter how hard he tries, Taron is not my father. I have no desire to lead at all.”
         “Well, isn’t it better than having a job you despise?”
         “You’re such an optimist.” This time I did roll my eyes.
         He laughed in response, silence settling in once again.
         My brain was on fire, I couldn’t stop thinking about what was ahead for me. None of it I desired. I know my mother wants what is best for me, but what she thinks is best is not exactly right. Eventually, my thoughts were broken through by shouting ringing through the area. Meldiron cringed and rose to his feet.
         “Yeah, that’s my master calling. I guess I took too long of a break.” Meldiron reached down to take my hand and help me to my feet.
         “You could just leave me here,” I suggested.
         “Yeah, and give you a chance to escape. I don’t think so.” Meldiron laughed at my expense, dragging my miserable ass up.
         “I guess i’ll return to the castle in my loneliness, doomed to be trapped in Lishara forever,” I huffed, well aware how childish I was acting.
         This time, Meldiron rolled his eyes. “You are such a drama queen you know.”
         “Hey, that’s drama prince to you!”
         Meldiron chuckled, “It’a yu no, and stay out of trouble.”
         “In shu, I can’t make any promises.”
         Meldiron walked towards the smith district, which left me with no other choice other than to return to the castle. My mother and I moved into the castle after permission from Taron. We haven’t been here very long, but it’s pretty boring. I spend most of my time in the library, tucked away in a spot near the window, reading books about the outside world. I had my mother to thank, because I could read books written in elvish as well as the common human language. There were also books in strange languages that I have never seen before, which I attempt to read anyone. There are some which look like elvish, yet are completely different. I have not yet deciphered these books, but I still enjoy trying.
         Mother tells me that staying in the library in the late night hours is bad for my health, but I never cared too much. When the castle is asleep, I feel awake. I don’t have to worry about all the servants and nobles bustling around. The halls were peaceful, just like the library I cherish.
         I was returning from the library quite late, most likely an hour or two into the next day. I was cursing myself, hoping that I would get enough sleep so I wasn’t groggy for my ceremony. What would mother say if I fell asleep during my ceremony? Would the elders think i’m not ready yet? If so, maybe sleeping during the ceremony wasn’t I bad thing…
         The sound of strange footsteps around the corner broke me out of my thoughts. I would have brushed it off as a servant, except they were too light as if someone did not want to be caught. The footsteps slowly became more present as they approached the corner. I just stood there, confident in my training that I could defend against an intruder. A face hesitantly popped around the corner, making eye contact with me. Surprise flashed over his face, probably mine to. His eyes were a unique brown shade i’ve never seen before, only a couple shades darker than his skin. They were somewhat smaller and the irises were slightly larger compared to all the elves i’ve seen. Also his ears, while still pointed, where quite small compared to all the elves in the city.
         “Are you a human?” I asked, keeping my voice down so I wouldn’t wake anyone.
         The look of surprise was back in his eyes and he moved around the corner, allowing me to see all of him. He wasn’t as lean as the elves and looked to be more built. Plus he seemed to stand around my height, about 5’7, which was on the shorter side for elves.
         “Uh, not exactly,” he replied, his voice smooth.
         “Well, you’re not an elf,” I pointed out.
         “Right, and you’re not calling for help even though you just caught a stranger sneaking around the castle,” he retorted.
         I shrugged, “I don’t need help. If you tried to hurt me I could defend myself. But you’re not.”
         “Well I don’t usually get caught, but this is the first time I’ve broken into an elvish castle. And the last, damn job isn’t worth that much,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck.
         “So you’re a thief? I’ve read stories about thieves.” I was intrigued, this was chance to use the knowledge I’ve gained from reading books.
         He gave me a strange look, “You’ve never had anyone try to steal from anything ever?”
         I shrugged yet again, “My mother told me stories about humans killing and stealing from bands of traveling elves, but she called those ‘bandits’ or ‘savages’, never thieves.”
         He brought his hand up to his forehead. “Bandits are essentially just thieves that kill people. You do realize this, don’t you?”
         “But the books say they’re different,” I insisted, knowing only books to be true.
         “There is a difference between books and the real life.”
         “But don’t books detail the real life?” I asked, confused.
         “I guess. That’s what I get for trying to argue with an elf,” he said, exasperated.
         “So,” I drawled, the conversation momentum beginning to slow down, “You said you weren’t an elf or a human, what are you?”
         “Well-” he started, before I jumped in again.
         “And what’s your name!”
         He gave me an annoyed look, before continuing. “I’m half human, half elf. Essentially trash to both races.”
         “That’s awful!” I frowned, “Why do humans and elves hate each other so much?”
         “You know, you could at least let me finish answering your questions before asking another one.” He replied, shrugging the question off.
         “I’m sorry. I rarely have a conversation this exciting.” I wasn’t truly sorry, I just couldn’t contain all my questions. I have never met an outsider before.
         He gave me another strange look. “Well to answer another one of your questions, my name is Kura. I chose it myself since it means treasure house in one of the human languages. I thought it was fitting for a thief.”
         “Hello Kura,” I beamed, earning another surprised look on his face, “My name is Alyan, uh, my name means blessed. My mother chose it for me.”
         “I know, mothers usually choose names for their children. It’s a common practice.”
         “Oh, than why did you name yourself?” I asked, adding on to the large pile of questions.
         He frowned. “Because I was a mistake, my mother didn’t name me and left me to the wolves.”
         “But being raised by wolves is cool, I read a story about that!”
Kura pinched the bridge of his nose, “It’s a figure of speech." he sighed, "you’re very talkative you know that?”
         “Well..” I hesitated, probably for the first time in the conversation. “I never really talk to anyone and spend my time locked up in the library.”
         “Explains all the references you make to books,” he chuckled, this time surprising me.
         “So… Kura,” I started, wondering if I was being too abrupt, “You’re a thief right? Can you steal people?”
         He looked at me in shock. “You- what!?”
         “Well.. I have always wanted to escape these walls and you got in here somehow, I was hoping you could take me out,” I explained, hoping that this would be my chance to escape.
         “I mean I could, but why would you want to leave? Some people would kill to live in a place such as this.”
         “But I will never get a chance to leave this place. If freedom is what I have to give up for safety, than I don’t want to be safe!”
         He sighed, “Well it seems you’re not going to turn me in and that I can’t convince you otherwise. Fine. I’ll take you out of here.” A grand smile stretched across my face. “But! This is just because I don’t want you following me and getting hurt.”
         “Hooray!” I exclaimed, still trying to keep my voice down. I was so happy I could hug Kura.
         “I came in through a tunnel meant to be used as an escape route in case of invasion. I swiped the key for it off of a noble that was visiting his farmland outside the walls. The entrance is near the market district. Stay behind me and don’t get caught.”
         The smile on my face refused to leave, “Got it,” I replied. “I am good at not getting caught.”
         “Than let’s go.” He said, leading me towards the back entrance in the castle.
 
I have a small glossary for this little book that I'll put up and edit as it goes.