Ellesmera

• Georgina Evans, Grade 8
• Poetry
• 2011

“Ajihad!” whispered Arlayna urgently, as she watched the humans intently with her brilliant blue eyes. “They are moving!” Ajihad ran over from feeding the two dapple-grey horses, Nuala and Shael, and observed the group of people in the valley below them.
“These people are sure they know where we dwell, if they didn’t they would not enter the Arget Forest. They believe it to be cursed,” he sneered, but his eyes gave him away and Arlayna knew he was worried, even though they both knew that they could easily defeat this small group. But their father, King Ethlando, feared that these humans would share their knowledge of them with King Mirthal. King Mirthal, the self appointed human king, had a large variety of evil creatures under his command such as Orkals, a creature twice the size of a man with thick skin and horns on either side of their head. These horns were prized among men because possession of these horns showed you were brave for killing an Orkal. Though Orkals were quite dim witted and did whatever they were told, during a fight they were strong warriors.
“Quick, Ajihad! Two men have left their comrades! Why are they doing this?” asked Arlayna, puzzled. It seemed odd that anyone would leave their battalion, even though this one was quite pathetic. No one would ever leave an Elven battalion, but the Elven battalions were much more substantial than this human army.
“I am not entirely sure, Arlayna, but it may be a trap, they could have other views on the attempted invasion or they are merely going a different way,” replied Ajihad, after a short while. “But we should ride back to Ellesmera and tell father what we have seen this evening so he can assemble the army, although they may not be needed…yet. It is our duty to protect Ellesmera so we must fulfil it,” finished Ajihad, as he walked over and picked up Nuala’s saddle. Arlayna fastened the girth around Shael’s belly and leapt lightly onto the horses back; Shael arched his neck gracefully when he felt the light pressure on the reins. Soon after Ajihad had put out their fire and mounted Nuala, they set of quickly into the Arget Forest, trying not to leave an obvious trail of disrupted ground.
The forest was cold and gloomy, but sometimes they would gallop through a ray of warm sunlight that had fought its way through the thick leaves far above their heads and settled on the ground, lighting it up as though celebrating its victory. Ellesmera lay deep in the Arget Forest, and only elves knew how to find it. Once they reached the waterfall that hid Ellesmera, Arlayna threw a pebble into the river and spoke the words, “Cormamin niuve tenna’ ta Elea lle au”; which means “My heart shall weep until its sees thee again”. Then the Royal Ellesmerian Guards emerged from the cascading water and, recognising them straight away, guided them through the waterfall into Ellesmera.