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‘Come and play with me’ Said Belyan

LillyMarlaine looked at him suspiciously.

‘People of your age do not play with children. They teach us lessons.’

Belyan smiled and was about to reply, when deep, soft but authoritative voice sounded.

‘Do not judge people by their earthly years.’

LillyMarlaine and Belyan turned around and faced Tahnoon.

‘Years of a soul are different to those of a body’ continued Tahnoon.

‘What do you mean by that?’ asked Lilly quietly.

‘Just remember what I said.’ said Tahnoon beeming at her with his shiny eyes.

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It was then that cold fires of the Triangle mysteriously rose and song of elves became louder.

Cold winds swiped across the earth freezing crops and small living beings. It was then that dragons from Hell Mountain, driven buy the call of the Triangle, flew once more out of the Western and Adriatic seas. Panic and chaos took over the land of Knin and Jumea.

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‘I need you to come with me!’ said LillyMarlaine desperately, ‘I cant do this on my own.’

‘Lilly, I cannot! My people need me here. Also I cannot bear a weapon. You know that.’ said Tahnoon quietly his eyes beaming at her in the dark.

‘But its my dad, my family, my people in danger...Won't you come?’ said LillyMarlaine in disbelief.

‘I cannot help you now.’

Upon that last word LillyMarlaine turned around and walked out of the room.

In the morning without saying anything to anyone, Lilly rode out of Slavujdel. Tahnoon watched her leave. If he knew the dire consequences of his decision perhaps his actions would have been much different.

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LillyMarlaine thought about it for a while.

‘I never heard that anyone can die but not die in the same time. Never. Ridiculous.’ She looked at Belyan.

He was silent.

“Perhaps Tahnoon will have more to say about this.’ he said reluctantly.

‘Tahnoon? He knows about this place? He has been here?’

‘No.’

‘How come then?’ Lilly was confused.

‘Elves which are dead but still live...I overheard Tahnoon and Nestar talk about it once...They did not say much but...I believe there is a old story about it and it first started when young Red City elf fell in love with a mortal.’

‘So what happened?’

‘Well, young Red City elf wanted the human to become immortal so they can live together forever.’

‘And?’

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‘Dark Elf has said that Cutolo was scientist. Long ages ago Red City elves where most interested in progress in science amongst us. Their civilization flourished, they where ahead of everybody, a beakon to the rest of us... Then suddenly all was lost. I wonder…’

‘You wonder if this has anything to do with it?’

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Behind them the branch shook and quivered and just as they passed to the other side of the Air Bridge, the branch and the whole invisible tree under the clouds quietly collapsed and disintegrated. The almost inaudible sound of music could be now heard. It was as if by magic the Air Bridge was lamenting the holly tree's demise. Enchanted, Lilly stood on the edge if a cliff and let the music enter her soul.

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‘Oh!’ cried LillyMarlaine.

‘Alright, thats enough now. Lets go.’

‘Oh Belyan! That was...that was…’ gushed LillyMatlaine, unable to stop.

‘Dead. Its dead.’ said Belyan.

‘Yes. There was no life there.’ said LillyMrlaine rubbing her hands in distress.

“There is no life anywhere around here.’ said Belyan walking away his footsteps rising the dust in the hot earth.

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‘Lilly what is it?’ Belyan stopped ten feet away form Lilly.

‘Belyan,’said LillyMarlene, ‘Look...look at this!’ and she gesticulated for Belyan to stop and look around.

‘I know its unusual.’ said Belyan looking left and right.

“It is...look at these colors!’ Lilly gesticulated wildly.

‘Its blue! Blue sky! Can you believe it? Blue!’ she laughed in delight. And then became really quiet like she was suddenly afraid that this was a dream and that she would wake up if she speaks to loudly.

‘It is blue sky no doubt.’ Belyan confirmed.

“Yes! And these, look at these, I can almost catch it and push these away!’ and Lilly pointed at long white dense clouds that where passing by them.

‘White clouds! White!’ Lilly whispered her eyes wide form excitement.

Belyan smiled. Lilly was right. All the scenery looked very strange but beautiful in a way. Lilly turned toward the structure and again outstretched her hand trying to touch it.

‘Lilly, what are you doing, its to far away. Pull back.’ Belyan quickly walked toward Lilly.

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When they walked into the Great Hall they where immediately spotted by Maximilian who waived to them to join him. At the table in the center where Dora and another captain-Lilly was not sure of captains name...Was she dancing with Loyden at her sisters birthday?

‘Zephyr.' Maximillian pointed at the captain and Lilly both nodded in recognition.

‘You sit next to me. Maximillan puled out the chair for Lilly.

‘Thank you.’ Lilly was unsure of this sitting arrangement as she wanted to be next to Dora. Belyan sat next to her and Maximillian was about to protest but thought better of it. He watched Belyan for a while and then focused on the table. He frowned.

‘Do these people have bread? What is this?’ he turned vegetable platter around.

‘Mmmm...its quite tasty..’said Zephyr who already tasted hers. She was biting hers hungrily and chewing it loudly.

‘Have you traveled far?’ asked Belyan politely.

‘Arr...to far for my liking…’responded Zephyr between bites.

‘What are these waiting for? Where is the food already were being sitting here for half and hour and have not eaten anything but grass and roots!’ protested Maximillian the turned to Dora.

‘I honestly hope this is not all we are going to get tonight.’ he frowned again.

"Please Max, do calm down, we only got here 10 minutes ago!' protested Dora.

‘We are waiting for the rest to join us. There was slight delay.’ Belyan informed him ever so politely.

‘What rest? We are all here!’Maximillian protested and then his eyes fell upon Tahnoon who just in that moment walked in to the hall, closely followed by Fillia and Diana.

‘Oh.’ Maximillian sighed leaning over to Dora. ‘Now I understand. The pompous elven king, of course. We are all waiting for his majesty. Followed by two dirty elven party girls. No wonder he is late.’ Maximillian snorted indignantly and Zephyr almost choked sniggering quietly into her vegetable platter.

‘Perhaps you should not express your hatred of elves so openly here, Max. We are on a peace mission. Leave old grievances alone. We will need their help.’ Dora whispered curtly.

‘Perhaps you should mind your own business, you ugly old hag.’ Maximillain snapped back at her. Belyan looked away pretending not to hear his words.

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She took her mask off.

‘Hello.’ she said.

‘Hello..do I know you?’

‘I was the part of the welcome committee...earlier in the Great Hall...dinner?...I sat next to Tahnoon.’

‘Oh...Diana?’ he frowned at her suspiciously.

‘Yes. You remember my name.’ she smiled while he frowned even more.

‘Come.' he finally said and pulled her toward him. He decided to be good boy at the dance. He held her tight and suddenly noticed her perfume. It was vanilla. His favouite. It filled all of his senses and he felt like fire ignited in his body and rushed into his head.

‘Why are your friends laughing at us?’ he groveled.

‘What friends?’

“Thanoon’s daughter and dog beside her.’

‘Watch out.' Diana smiled. That ‘dog’ is a very dear friend of mine’.

‘Is he now.’ He murmured into her hair.

‘So you are Maximillian...great Vlad's cousin. And you are human.’ she said knowing he did not like elves much.

‘Yes I am human. And you are an elf.’ he said and wondered again what is he doing dancing with an elf. Deep disapproving sigh broke out of his chest. If his family saw him now...

‘Yes I am an elf.’ said Diana, braking Maximillian's stream of thoughts. ‘We are, according to you, Maximillian, bunch of very bad guys. We want to conquer the world.’

‘Go ahead. Its impossible to do.’ he looked away, disgusted with her grand elvish ambitions.

‘You Humans have done it already..’ she said.

He smiled approvingly and turned toward her. He watched her eyes, her clothes, her body adorned in shiny ornaments. Before he was aware of what he was doing his hands where on her waist. On her face. Her neck.

‘You are beautiful.’ he said matter of factly. He openly stared at her. His dark penetrating beam locked with her shiny eyes. He expected resistance. Every woman resisted him and he enjoyed breaking that resistance. But Diana had no barriers. She let him straight in. He did not expect this. Before he knew it, he was looking deep into her elven soul. He felt he was drowning. Warning bells sounded in his mind.

‘Elven magic...’ he thought suspiciously but then he decided to relax.

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Battle at the frozen lake...

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