Young Writers Society

A/N: Sorry if the line breaks are a bit weird in this, google docs was being weird. Also sorry this is so long, I added a few extra bits of description in that will hopefully make up for the lack of species description in the last chapter.

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The dining hall was almost silent, there being only one non-staff occupant currently. That was Terri's mother, Lydela. She, like Terri’s father, was slim and agile. Her hair hung around her shoulders in long flowing waves, just covering the tips of her pointed ears. Terri knew she looked like her; everyone said that… But no way was she that beautiful.

She was sat in one of the two chairs at the head of the table, the slightly smaller one that was reserved for the spouses of the king or queen of Tralior. She smiled as Terri and Makder made their way up to the next two seats perpendicular to her.

Makder veered off at the last second to go and stand with his father a few yards away from the table but his father shook his head and motioned for him to sit down.

"Uh..." His eyes were wide as he stared at Terri and sat down next to her. Then he looked up to her mother and said, "Thank you, your Highness."

Her mother smiled. "You are welcome, Mr Sten. This is a big day for you too."

He looked back round at Terri, who shrugged and filled the flagon in front of him with water. He shook his head and stared down at it, just blinking and doing nothing. Terri smiled and patted him on the back, then the three of them waited there in silence for her father to arrive. There was no point in trying to figure out what was going on; they’d find out soon enough.

He arrived not long later and took his seat in the enormous wingback chair beside Terri's mother. Terri could hear a swoosh as he sat down, his cloak catching the air then floating down a moment later, landing draped over the back of his chair. He didn't start talking immediately. For an elf who could run so fast, his conversation was always so slow. The sun was high in the window behind Terri, casting comfortably warm light on her back. The strip of light washed over all four of them and she watched the dust motes flutter through the air between herself and her father as she waited for him to say something.

"Terriala, Makder, I have brought you here for this meal- Erm, this meal, Lendel?" He turned round and looked at Makder's father, Lendel. Lendel nodded to his right, then to his left, then suddenly in showers of magical energy seven servants appeared and brought forward enormous silver platters. Their faces were even paler than their elven masters, being faeries of the Otherworld. They placed cold meats and cheeses, breads, some chicken and masses of salad on the table in front of them.

"Call me if you need anything, your Highness," Lendel said, then bowed and started toward the door.

"Lendel, wait," Terri's father said, "He's your son."

Lendel looked at Makder, then nodded and sat down across the table from him and Terri. The faerie servants filed out of the room and closed the door gently behind them.

"Help yourselves, both of you," Terri's father said, looking from Lendel to Makder. "This is no time for formalities."

They were all silent for a few moments as they tucked into the spread in front of them. Terri had built up her stamina enough to not feel particularly taxed by her runs, but as soon as the first of the cheese hit her stomach she realised that she was in fact rather hungry. Also the food tasted excellent as always.

"Now then, to business." Terri's father sighed and looked straight into her eyes. "You, my wonderful, beautiful, strong daughter - tomorrow you will have been on this realm for eighteen years. These have been eighteen of the brightest years of my life - you have no idea - and I need you to understand that parting is the last thing that I, personally, want."

Terri's eyebrows shot up. Where in the world was this going?

"Tomorrow, at dawn, you and Makder will start out on a journey that should take no longer than until the day after your nineteenth birthday. I do not know exactly where it will take you, that depends on you." Then he turned slightly to look from her to Makder. "Makder Sten, I have known you since your birth. I adored you. You were the first babe I had seen in many, many years. Of course, only a few months later, Terriala was born, and my attention was rather diverted. I hope, however, that I've been a good employer to you and your father over the years."

Makder nodded energetically. Sat next to him, Terri could only see him in profile, but the one eye she had a view of was wide. He seemed to be holding his breath. His face was unusually pale actually, almost as pale as hers. Usually his cheeks had the blooming red hue of a human who spent lots of time outdoors, just like his father. He must have been terrified.

"Of course, sir," Lendel said. He smiled at his son and reached across the table to clasp his hand. 

Makder smiled back and turned to face him. His face relaxed a little but Terri could see that he was still breathing fast. She was too, she realised. This was one intense lunch.

"This is a burden I do not put on you lightly, Makder, and you will have the chance to refuse, but I ask that you hear me out first."

"Yes, sir," Makder said. His voice croaked and he took a sip of water.

"This journey is taken by every elf when they reach the age of eighteen. Until this time you have been growing, Terri. In fact, the similarities between yourself and Makder in terms of development are staggering for two so divided in race. But when you return to me, your paths will have diverged almost beyond recognition. I ask you to do this, Makder, almost for your own sake." His crystalline eyes flitted between the two of them. "I don't know what will become of your friendship in years to come. This might be the last time the two of you are as close as you currently are."

He went silent again. For once Terri was glad. She took a deep breath and ran through what he'd said in her head. Why hadn't she heard about this before? Why did Makder need to come wherever she was going? Was it dangerous?

"Where will this journey take us?" she asked, then glanced to Makder and said, "Uh- that is, if you choose to come."

"I'm coming," he said. He drew his hand away from his father's and dropped both to his sides, frowning at the table. So this was what his father had told him about, then. He'd made his choice.

"Like I said, I do not know where exactly you will go," her father said, "It is more something you have to do."

"Well, it's not like we're just sending you out into the wilderness," her mother snapped. She leaned forward and glared at her father. "We're not that awful at parenting."

"You're wonderful parents," Terri said instinctively.

Her mother's face softened and she said, "Sorry, I'm getting flashbacks. My own parents pretty much did just send me out into the wilderness."

Her father chuckled. "Honestly from what you told me I'm surprised you're alive. Glad - obviously - impressed, in fact. You're wonderful, honey."

She glared at him again, then burst out giggling and leaned her face against his shoulder for a moment.

When she sat back up straight she said, "We take you from here about ten miles north west to Heryan, where, under strict lock and key… in a manner of speaking, lies the Welona portal. From there you will start your Welona, your journey home."

Terri frowned. "We just have to get home?"

"Just home." Her father nodded. "But... we don't know where from. The portal will take you where you need to go. When you return, a question will be asked. You won't know who to expect it from, but you will know it when you hear it."

Terri resisted the urge to roll her eyes, and only restrained herself because she could have sworn her father was trembling slightly. The ever so slight creases along his porcelain brow were twitching a little and his jaw was tensed slightly.

"Okay," she said. She gulped, which only increased her unease. "But uh, not that I'm not glad of the company but... why does Makder have to come?"

"It is essential that there be a servant with you for the duration," her father said. Then he coughed and added, "By that, I do not mean that Makder will be expected to serve while you are on the journey. And I suppose, in fact, any subject of your future kingdom would have sufficed, but it is most commonly a servant who has taken the position, particularly one close to the ruling family."

"But why?" Terri said again.

Her father sighed. "It's difficult to explain... You will understand by the time you return home."

Makder brought his hands back up onto the table and leaned slightly forward as he said, "Terri, it's alright. I'm coming with you. Like King Berean says, our lives are going to change. What's the point in just letting that happen a year and a day early? Besides, you'd go mad without someone to talk to."

Terri smiled. She leaned over and wrapped her right arm across his shoulders, giving him a quick hug. Then she rubbed his back and sat back up.

"Thank you," she whispered. He didn't reply, but she could see the beginnings of a smile tug at his mouth.

"I'm proud of you, Mak," Lendel said. "I'm going to miss you so much. I am going to bawl like a baby for the month after you leave and the month after you return. But I am very, very proud of you."

A sound somewhere between a laugh a choke escaped Makder.

Terri looked from her father to her mother and said, "I'll miss you too."

Her parents looked at each other, then simultaneously rose from their seats and came round the table to stand behind her. She shoved her chair out from the table and sprang up straight into a hug from both of them.

"I love you," she said into one of their shoulders.

"I love you too," they both said at the same time.

She gave them a final squeeze then sat back down, as they straightened their robes and returned to their chairs. Terri took the opportunity to wipe the starts of the tears from her eyes and give Makder's shoulder another pat. Then, with a deep breath, she just about managed to stop herself from shaking.

"So... What now?" she asked, "Do we need to prepare?"

"No," her mother said, trying to shove her fringe back into her braid. It must have come loose in the hug. "Preparations have been made. Tonight is for you to say goodbye. It's called your Tenasi, your going away party."

Terri's eyebrows shot up and she grinned. "What sort of party?"

"We've hired musicians, some servants are in the middle of tidying up the Great Hall." Her father smiled. "It's going to feel like a long time until your next birthday. This one needs to be memorable."

"Um, your Highness," Makder murmured, "Didn't you say we leave at dawn?"

Terri's father smirked and started to chuckle. "If there's one lesson that you don't need a Welona to learn, it's how to do crucial work in the throes of a monstrous hangover."

Terri smacked her forehead with the palm of her hand and shook her head, but she giggled a little and said, "I can't wait."