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haebinPlease enjoy my next chapter.
The next scene will probably go on for several chapters, so today's has become a little smaller and I hope you don't mind it.
Thanks for reading and thank you for taking the time to comment. It means the world to me. ♥
For dozens of years Trálír had remembered the long and wide corridor in the formerly forbidden wing as dark and with thick layers of dust on the floor and furniture, but now he walked with a fast beating heart and a dry mouth through the gallery which had been cleaned and decorated with countless flowers, grasses and ribbons. The doors to the numerous rooms such as the castle chapel, gallery of mirrors leading into the large ballroom, the library, several reading and music rooms were all open.
The light of day also fell through the open windows from the rooms of the former maids.
In the days when Mother was still allowed to have contact with other elves, Trálír thought wistfully as he walked through the long corridor before stopping at the foot of the grand staircase that led up to Elaria's chambers.
Am I supposed to go into my mother’s room? Trálír asked himself uncertainly. The soldier had only told him that he was expected in the west wing, but not in which room he was to appear. Trálír hesitated when suddenly muffled noises reached his ears and they did not seem to come from the upper floor.
Next to the Grand Staircase, on the left and right, the hallway continued, but became narrower with each step until they came to a dark ebony door.
On each side, four wood carvings drew his attention, depicting unicorns in various scenarios, with light-colored fur that stood out against the dark background.
As he looked at them, Tralir remembered that the animals were associated with the goddess of the forest
The carving in the left-hand corner of the door showed an unicorn that had just been born in a clearing, still lying on the soft moss in the depths of the Blackwater Forest, while its mother gently nudged it with her nostrils. The morning light broke through the crowns of the closely spaced trees and even though much was still in shadow, Trálír could make out the bodies of various forest dwellers behind the thick trunks who had witnessed the birth of the young horse.
The next scene showed a young unicorn galloping wildly across the dunes on a seemingly sunny day, the waves of the untamed sea breaking on the shore, birds flocking to accompany the young animal beneath them, the bright sun shining high in the cloudless sky.
As Trálír let his gaze wander to the right, he realized that the artist had not only depicted the four seasons but also the four stages of life in his carvings, for the third portrait showed the unicorn standing next to its partner in front of a waterfall, both animals facing each other, their nostrils touching. Wild vines and autumn flowers shielded this seemingly magical place from the world, the light shimmered gently down on the two of them and was reflected in the water on which the setting sun could be seen.
The last of the images carved into the wood was the unicorn, now at the end of its life. Weak and emaciated, it lay on the ground, its eyes fixed on the sky. The forest was covered in deep snow and the full moon was visible in the dark sky. A thick layer of snow lay on the animal's body and its eyes appeared dull, yet in the last stage of its life, the unicorn seemed to be filled with a deep sense of peace.
Deeply moved, Trálír touched the unicorn carved in ebony with his fingertips as the name of the goddess came back to his mind. Ehlenestra.
Opening the door, Tralir stepped into the corridor when he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest. He squinted, trying to ignore the tightness in his throat and clutched his chest. With the strong pressure of his thumbs, he tried to release the tension from the muscles beneath the fabric.
Ehlenestra ... Ehlenestra ... from the depths of his memory he heard a whisper, a voice as soft as silk, like a breeze and yet warm and loving. He remembered a woman striding before him, a bowl of gold in her hands. Offerings.
Flowers, grain, spices, fruit, bread, milk and butter.
She turned to him, a loving smile on her lips, whispering his name. He felt this tense excitement spreading through his small body and at the same time the need to press himself protectively against his mother, as he did not understand where they were going. He had never entered this part of the castle before.
“We want to express our thanks to her.”
His gaze fell on her growing belly and he understood. She was grateful for the fertility Ehlenestra had bestowed upon her.
He followed his mother silently as she opened the door, carefully descending the stairs, the crackling of the fire bowls that stood at the side of the long hallway the only sound he could hear.
A mixture of nervousness and fear filled him as he walked behind his mother, for it was the first time she had taken him to the Sacred Hall of Ehlenestra.
Another muffled sound was heard and brought Trálír back to the present. Astonished, he realized that the fire bowls were now also lit and so he walked slowly forward. Although his memories were mostly in the shadows, his memory apparently knew where his path would lead him.
To the sacred hall of Ehlenestra, a place where his mother had paid homage to the goddess.
At the end of the corridor, he stepped through an archway and stopped. His gaze fell on the water-filled basin in the middle of the vault, which was three meters high.
Several stone pillars on either side of the room held up the structure of the cross vault, while cathedral-like stained glass windows stretched from the floor to halfway across the room.
Trálír could not remember if he had ever heard the name of the artist who had applied stained glass to the windows of several images of Ehlenestra. He was stunned by the beauty he saw.
On the first window to his right was an image of the Goddess as she was known to the elves. She appeared as a golden-haired elven maiden, her eyes were deep blue, with a noble face. She stood in a clearing surrounded by the animals of the forest, dressed in a dark rich gown of an elven princess. In the portrait next to it, she wore the practical garb of a ranger, surrounded by a group of unicorns. In both artworks she carried a longbow of which it was said that it always hit his target.
Trálír walked slowly along the windows and saw that the artist had also depicted the four ceremonies of the seasons on the windows, just like on the entrance door to the vestibule.
The unknown artist began with Spring Equinox followed by Summer Solstice and the elf began to remember as he looked carefully at the scenes. In spring, great fires were lit and the inhabitants moved in procession from one fire to the next, leading their cattle in front of them and throwing grain. They asked the goddess for protection against disease from herds. In summer, the people celebrated life itself and the beauty of nature. This ceremony was the most important and there were numerous fairs in the past in which the common people wore garlands and flowers which were given as an offering to the deities of nature.
At the autumnal equinox, the inhabitants celebrated the harvests with great festivals. The people came together to sacrifice their first fruits to Ehlenestra and other gods. Large bonfires were erected on the highest hills and people drank and danced until the end of the night. And at the winter solstice, people celebrated the power of nature to withstand the rigors of winter. At this time of year it was lamb season and milk sacrifices were a must.
Trálír walked on and finally discovered the most important ceremony in honor of Ehlenestra. The transformation ceremony. He remembered that in those days, children from all the villages were led into the forest at the age of seven, separated from their families, abandoned, blindfolded and barefoot. Each child had to find their own way to the village they knew, where a banquet had been set up, guided only by songs and a large campfire. When they found their way back to their homes, each child was brought before the fire, to which they had to whisper their real name they had discovered on their journey.
Rangers, the priests of Ehlonna, the human name for Ehlenestra, and sometimes elves, discreetly guarded the children in the forest because they wanted to keep them save. But if a child saw one of these guardians, it was considered a good omen.
Even on the massive stone walls, Trálír discovered further paintings in which the goddess was worshipped, mostly surrounded by the animals of the forest as well as elves, gnomes or halflings.
Ehlenestra was worshipped by hunters, trappers, foresters, rangers and woodcutters, and was friendly towards all races.
In every portrait of her, she wore a gentle smile on her lips.
She was one of the older gods, almost forgotten since Trálír the Elder came to power. Almost forgotten by the elves in these lands, who followed his father wordlessly and thoughtlessly.
The knowledge of Ehlenestra's power and her gifts had been carried away by the older elves who had fled from the cruelties of Trálír the Elder.
The life of the forest, the growth of nature, the four seasons and the various plants and flowers of the Blackwater Lands had been painted on the ceiling of the vault. As Trálír walked reverently through this hall step by step, his gaze fixed on the numerous images, he had the feeling of being in the middle of a deeply mystical and sacred place. Slowly, he came across the brown and dark green stone mosaic floor, which gave the overall impression of a root system.
Trálír's gaze returned to the pool, the candles that had been placed on the edge and then his eyes fell on the figure sitting in the water, his arms resting relaxed on the edge of the pool.
An arrogant smile on his lips as he nonchalantly tilted his head to the side in greeting.
Trálír gritted his teeth, for the look in his amber eyes did not bode well.
The next scene will probably go on for several chapters, so today's has become a little smaller and I hope you don't mind it.
Thanks for reading and thank you for taking the time to comment. It means the world to me. ♥
For dozens of years Trálír had remembered the long and wide corridor in the formerly forbidden wing as dark and with thick layers of dust on the floor and furniture, but now he walked with a fast beating heart and a dry mouth through the gallery which had been cleaned and decorated with countless flowers, grasses and ribbons. The doors to the numerous rooms such as the castle chapel, gallery of mirrors leading into the large ballroom, the library, several reading and music rooms were all open.
The light of day also fell through the open windows from the rooms of the former maids.
In the days when Mother was still allowed to have contact with other elves, Trálír thought wistfully as he walked through the long corridor before stopping at the foot of the grand staircase that led up to Elaria's chambers.
Am I supposed to go into my mother’s room? Trálír asked himself uncertainly. The soldier had only told him that he was expected in the west wing, but not in which room he was to appear. Trálír hesitated when suddenly muffled noises reached his ears and they did not seem to come from the upper floor.
Next to the Grand Staircase, on the left and right, the hallway continued, but became narrower with each step until they came to a dark ebony door.
On each side, four wood carvings drew his attention, depicting unicorns in various scenarios, with light-colored fur that stood out against the dark background.
As he looked at them, Tralir remembered that the animals were associated with the goddess of the forest
The carving in the left-hand corner of the door showed an unicorn that had just been born in a clearing, still lying on the soft moss in the depths of the Blackwater Forest, while its mother gently nudged it with her nostrils. The morning light broke through the crowns of the closely spaced trees and even though much was still in shadow, Trálír could make out the bodies of various forest dwellers behind the thick trunks who had witnessed the birth of the young horse.
The next scene showed a young unicorn galloping wildly across the dunes on a seemingly sunny day, the waves of the untamed sea breaking on the shore, birds flocking to accompany the young animal beneath them, the bright sun shining high in the cloudless sky.
As Trálír let his gaze wander to the right, he realized that the artist had not only depicted the four seasons but also the four stages of life in his carvings, for the third portrait showed the unicorn standing next to its partner in front of a waterfall, both animals facing each other, their nostrils touching. Wild vines and autumn flowers shielded this seemingly magical place from the world, the light shimmered gently down on the two of them and was reflected in the water on which the setting sun could be seen.
The last of the images carved into the wood was the unicorn, now at the end of its life. Weak and emaciated, it lay on the ground, its eyes fixed on the sky. The forest was covered in deep snow and the full moon was visible in the dark sky. A thick layer of snow lay on the animal's body and its eyes appeared dull, yet in the last stage of its life, the unicorn seemed to be filled with a deep sense of peace.
Deeply moved, Trálír touched the unicorn carved in ebony with his fingertips as the name of the goddess came back to his mind. Ehlenestra.
Opening the door, Tralir stepped into the corridor when he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest. He squinted, trying to ignore the tightness in his throat and clutched his chest. With the strong pressure of his thumbs, he tried to release the tension from the muscles beneath the fabric.
Ehlenestra ... Ehlenestra ... from the depths of his memory he heard a whisper, a voice as soft as silk, like a breeze and yet warm and loving. He remembered a woman striding before him, a bowl of gold in her hands. Offerings.
Flowers, grain, spices, fruit, bread, milk and butter.
She turned to him, a loving smile on her lips, whispering his name. He felt this tense excitement spreading through his small body and at the same time the need to press himself protectively against his mother, as he did not understand where they were going. He had never entered this part of the castle before.
“We want to express our thanks to her.”
His gaze fell on her growing belly and he understood. She was grateful for the fertility Ehlenestra had bestowed upon her.
He followed his mother silently as she opened the door, carefully descending the stairs, the crackling of the fire bowls that stood at the side of the long hallway the only sound he could hear.
A mixture of nervousness and fear filled him as he walked behind his mother, for it was the first time she had taken him to the Sacred Hall of Ehlenestra.
Another muffled sound was heard and brought Trálír back to the present. Astonished, he realized that the fire bowls were now also lit and so he walked slowly forward. Although his memories were mostly in the shadows, his memory apparently knew where his path would lead him.
To the sacred hall of Ehlenestra, a place where his mother had paid homage to the goddess.
At the end of the corridor, he stepped through an archway and stopped. His gaze fell on the water-filled basin in the middle of the vault, which was three meters high.
Several stone pillars on either side of the room held up the structure of the cross vault, while cathedral-like stained glass windows stretched from the floor to halfway across the room.
Trálír could not remember if he had ever heard the name of the artist who had applied stained glass to the windows of several images of Ehlenestra. He was stunned by the beauty he saw.
On the first window to his right was an image of the Goddess as she was known to the elves. She appeared as a golden-haired elven maiden, her eyes were deep blue, with a noble face. She stood in a clearing surrounded by the animals of the forest, dressed in a dark rich gown of an elven princess. In the portrait next to it, she wore the practical garb of a ranger, surrounded by a group of unicorns. In both artworks she carried a longbow of which it was said that it always hit his target.
Trálír walked slowly along the windows and saw that the artist had also depicted the four ceremonies of the seasons on the windows, just like on the entrance door to the vestibule.
The unknown artist began with Spring Equinox followed by Summer Solstice and the elf began to remember as he looked carefully at the scenes. In spring, great fires were lit and the inhabitants moved in procession from one fire to the next, leading their cattle in front of them and throwing grain. They asked the goddess for protection against disease from herds. In summer, the people celebrated life itself and the beauty of nature. This ceremony was the most important and there were numerous fairs in the past in which the common people wore garlands and flowers which were given as an offering to the deities of nature.
At the autumnal equinox, the inhabitants celebrated the harvests with great festivals. The people came together to sacrifice their first fruits to Ehlenestra and other gods. Large bonfires were erected on the highest hills and people drank and danced until the end of the night. And at the winter solstice, people celebrated the power of nature to withstand the rigors of winter. At this time of year it was lamb season and milk sacrifices were a must.
Trálír walked on and finally discovered the most important ceremony in honor of Ehlenestra. The transformation ceremony. He remembered that in those days, children from all the villages were led into the forest at the age of seven, separated from their families, abandoned, blindfolded and barefoot. Each child had to find their own way to the village they knew, where a banquet had been set up, guided only by songs and a large campfire. When they found their way back to their homes, each child was brought before the fire, to which they had to whisper their real name they had discovered on their journey.
Rangers, the priests of Ehlonna, the human name for Ehlenestra, and sometimes elves, discreetly guarded the children in the forest because they wanted to keep them save. But if a child saw one of these guardians, it was considered a good omen.
Even on the massive stone walls, Trálír discovered further paintings in which the goddess was worshipped, mostly surrounded by the animals of the forest as well as elves, gnomes or halflings.
Ehlenestra was worshipped by hunters, trappers, foresters, rangers and woodcutters, and was friendly towards all races.
In every portrait of her, she wore a gentle smile on her lips.
She was one of the older gods, almost forgotten since Trálír the Elder came to power. Almost forgotten by the elves in these lands, who followed his father wordlessly and thoughtlessly.
The knowledge of Ehlenestra's power and her gifts had been carried away by the older elves who had fled from the cruelties of Trálír the Elder.
The life of the forest, the growth of nature, the four seasons and the various plants and flowers of the Blackwater Lands had been painted on the ceiling of the vault. As Trálír walked reverently through this hall step by step, his gaze fixed on the numerous images, he had the feeling of being in the middle of a deeply mystical and sacred place. Slowly, he came across the brown and dark green stone mosaic floor, which gave the overall impression of a root system.
Trálír's gaze returned to the pool, the candles that had been placed on the edge and then his eyes fell on the figure sitting in the water, his arms resting relaxed on the edge of the pool.
An arrogant smile on his lips as he nonchalantly tilted his head to the side in greeting.
Trálír gritted his teeth, for the look in his amber eyes did not bode well.