Lhoris
My parents and sister arrived almost precisely two weeks after their letter. Guille sent a runner to the apothecary to bring me to the stables. I ran the whole way across the courtyard to greet my family.
The carriage was typical of the woodlands; tall, graceful lines and arches carved into the wood panels that reminded one of sapling trees and branches in ivory. It sat by the stables, untouched by the grooms. They appeared somewhat intimidated by the unfamiliarity of a carriage that required no driver and the too-knowing eyes of the horses that were bred in the woodlands. They were beasts of great intelligence and were companions more than tools. One needed to ask them to perform tasks and not just demand obedience. I had forgotten that detail. The stable master would need instruction on how to handle these animals.
The carriage door opened, and my father emerged. He looked almost as he always had. Father wasn’t quite as tall as me, with long wavy hair of platinum. He wore green, gold and white robes, and his face was slightly aged now. It took me by surprise. If Tamnaeth were human, he’d have appeared to be in his forties, but as an elf … it meant he was approaching his final decades. The crinkles around his honey-colored eyes deepened when he saw me and a warm, gentle smile spread across his face. He stepped down, embraced me and murmured, “You had us fearing the worst, son,” he admonished kindly. “I worried that I’d never hold you again.”
“I’m sorry, ahba,” I murmured the childish endearment where only my father could hear. “I’ll do my best to never worry you like that again.”
Mother emerged next; her red hair pulled up in an elaborate braided coronet atop her head. Her green eyes, made more prominent by the emerald wrap around dress she wore, met mine. She had aged as well, more so than my father.
“Mother,” I smiled up at her when father released me and offered my hand to steady her as she stepped down to the ground. She didn’t need the help, even in the sunset of her years, she was graceful as ever. She placed both hands on my cheeks and pulled me down towards her so she could kiss my forehead.
I stood and waited for her to scold me, as she had often in the past. Instead, her eyes welled with tears, and she threw her arms around me, nearly crushing my ribs.
Alyndra followed after our mother. She, in a green tunic and pants, was a perfect blend of our parents. Her pale red hair and honey eyes shone in the afternoon light. “I ought to pinch your ears for worrying them,” she said with a wry grin, as if she hadn’t been worried as well.
Why had I been so scared to send for them?
The grooms finally dared to approach to disconnect the carriage. The horses shook out of their harnesses and ran back out of the rear gate, taking their leave while they could. My family appeared unconcerned, so I didn”t bother worrying about it.
“What would you like to do first?” I asked them. “Do you need to eat? Bathe? See the rooms you’ll be staying in?” I offered mother an arm.
She took it and gave me an amused smile. “Darling, we didn’t come all this way for hospitality. I want to meet your mate.”