The morning following our encounter with the Burr Sprites, we all seemed to have recovered, and everyone was in high spirits. But I noticed that Hana became more and more quiet as we moved along the path. When we had first met her, she had told us that we humans were not welcomed here in the forests of Sylvara, and that she needed to talk with the ‘Speaker.’ I noticed some unease in her facial expressions. I do not think any of the others noticed the change.
I observed how the forest was slowly opening. No clearing, no gate, no signal to indicate that we were approaching the capital of Sylvara. The forest simply rearranged itself.
Hana turned to us. “We are reaching the center of Sylvara. The gathering of Sylvaen.”
Raven said with a question on his face. “So, your capital city?”
Hana shrugged. “I think that is a human word that does not translate very well here. Many elves live here, but I think that the population of Sylvaen is much more fluid that your human cities.”
Someone laughed high overhead. Not alarmed. Not curious. Just… present. Almost as if assessing us, as if to let us know that we walking into a very unfamiliar location.
“This is it,” Hana said.
I stopped walking before I realized I’d done so. “This?” I asked, gesturing helplessly at the trees. “This is the capital?”
Hana gave me a sideways look. I could hear a slight curtness in her voice. “You are standing in Sylvaen.”
No walls. No guards. No banners to signal that we were in the most influential gathering in the forest. And yet, I had the unmistakable feeling that every pair of elven eyes in the canopy of trees knew exactly how many steps I’d taken since entering Sylvara, and how loudly my shoes had complained about it.
Raven had already gone still, which told me everything I needed to know.
Hana turned, suddenly more formal, the easy rhythm of the road slipping from her shoulders. “Before we do anything else, I need to speak with the Speaker.”
“The Speaker,” I repeated. “Right. Of course.”
She nodded. “Because I am traveling with humans.”
There it was. Not accusation. Not apology. Just fact.
“Is… that a problem?” Alfie asked.
Hana considered the question honestly. “It is unheard of.”
She motioned for us to wait near the base of a massive oak whose roots had been shaped into benches by time and use. Then she added, almost gently, “Do not wander.”
“I wasn’t planning on it,” I said quickly and under my breath. And I meant it.
An almost imperceptible staircase opened at the foot of the oak. Edie asked slowly. “Your Speaker. Is that… like a mayor?”
Hana paused, halfway on the staircase of forest floor and the canopy. “If you must use a human word,” she said, “then yes.” Then she looked at each of us. She repeated. “Do not wander.” We all nodded. Raven said “I am very good at not wandering.” Hana frowned at him.
Hana said, as an afterthought, words that hinted of trepidation, “I will speak with Aelthryn Vaelis, Speaker of the Canopy.”
The staircase drew her upward and swallowed her into the leaves.
The rest of the us sat down slowly, the oak warm beneath my hand. Around us, Sylvaen breathed. Elves moved along bridges I had not taken notice of before. We were approached by no-one. But we were seen. I felt that, as if we were being weighed.
Somewhere above, an elf who spoke for the forest was deciding whether we were worthy.
I had not noticed it before before, but the others had changed in their typical behavior. Alfie was suddenly too wide-eyed to the point of appearing threatened. Edie was not pacing as she normally does when she thinks that we have stopped unnecessarily. Which led to Ox studying Edie, instead of Raven. I think he did not know how to protect Raven from the subtle threat that we all felt. Raven had changed in the most obvious way. Completely still and quiet. I have known Raven for years. And this was not the Raven who I always have known. And for myself, I felt as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I felt a quiet magic surrounding me.
I began to see how the settlement was structured. The very paths on the ground were curved and faint around the forest floor as if they were unnecessary. Platforms in the canopy, almost unseen from the earth, carried elves moving slowly to and fro in a harmonious rhythm. As I studying more and more, I could see some elves had completely stopped in the platforms, regarding us with suspicion or amusement. Then the impression hit me. Sylvaen was a practical, sensible, well-designed and most magical city in the way that no human city could ever equal.
I turned when I heard movement behind me. The stairs that had drawn Hana up into the canopy from the largest oak in the clearing opened. Instead of Hana stepping out, a beautiful stoic human woman emerged. I was immediately perplexed. I thought, the Speaker of the Canopy was human? I wondered where Hana was, and if she were suffering any type of reprimanding for bringing humans into the gathering. The Speaker looked at each of us, and I could see the astonishment in everyone’s faces as I knew my own face held.
The woman was dressed in an immaculate blue and green robe, her long thick blonde, almost white, hair was beautifully arranged with small ivy vines with delicate leaves throughout, tiny strands of silver mixed in as well. Her posture and presence was very familiar. And then I realized, with complete amazement, that I was not looking at the Speaker, but I was seeing the best version of myself. I glanced at each of friends and knew that they were having the same experience as well, and I understood it. Edie looked very pleased, so I knew that the Speaker must have been showing Edie a regal leader, one that Edie could attain. Ox appeared perplexed, but happy. Alfie had a contented look on his face, more contented that any expression that I had ever seen him show. Raven looked absolutely mischievous and elated.
Hana emerged from the oak. The Speaker began a conversation with Hana in eleven tongue, one that I have no comprehension of, however it sounded like the wind whispering through the trees. It dawned on me that Hana, in her conversation with the Speaker, was commutating at her own eye level. She must have been experiencing the same phenomenon that the rest of us were undergoing.
I could sense a finality to their conversation, and the Speaker turned to regard each of us once more, and turned to the staircase, beginning her retreat to the Canopy. Hana bowed deeply although the Speaker was already disappearing. I looked to the platforms. Each elf there was bowing deeply as well. I had so many questions for Hana, she held up her hand when I started and simply said. “Lea, now is not the time.”
It was clear that my curiosity would need to be put on hold.