Autumn’s Tale

by Steve Pagano

There long ago was a mage called Kael, who dwelt in the forests outside the town of Chwllyn, a scant few years after Tinuviel fell upon her blade to wed Selivron, and half a century yet before the One Continent would be sundered and the seas would change, and the First Age would be marked as complete. In his time exploring the lands he met an Elven woman named Myria, which is "Springtime" in their tongue. She was wise and beautiful, and a favored servant of Oak, lord of trees, and she loved Kael so as to call him husband, and she left her folk to dwell with him in that wood. In their ninth year together she bore unto him a daughter, but in that moment Myria’s skills failed her, and she passed from this life into the misted halls of Selivron. Kael wept openly at her passing, and buried her in her favored glade at the side of their cottage, and for the years up to the War of the Gods that site was favored by the faerie folk of the wood, and the animals came to graze on the grass and berries therein, which never fell short in supply.

And so it was that with heavy heart that he took his infant daughter into his arms, and gazed upon her. Yet in her face he took great comfort, for her mother still dwelt within her eyes. But whereas Myria’s hair was golden and flowing like a stream in springtime, and her eyes green as leaves in Watchoak [April], the infant had fine hair of auburn and gentle amber eyes; and so he named her Autumn, and he loved her.

And Autumn was a delight unto her father, for she proved to be an able student in his crafts. No arch-mage was he, but neither was he unskilled, and yet his daughter proved to be far more talented than he, casting her first spell by her thirteenth birthday. And yet dwelt in her just as passionately the spirit of her mother, and Autumn was known to run through the forest in sandaled feet, laughing and calling to the folk of the wood while deer ran at her side, and birds flew all about her to partake in her laughter. The children of Oak spoke unto her, and she came to know the lore that her mother had before her; and so, as well as she could weave spells of complexity and beauty, she could speak with the folk of the wood, and understand the whisperings of the trees. Oak granted unto her her first spell upon her seventeenth birthday, and thus the half-Elven girl became one of those few so skilled as to have spell-rings within her mind opened to both Ehvenor and unto her own god. She grew beautiful as the evening sun as she came into her womanhood, and so her name spread quickly throughout that land; many a young man came to Kael asking to be the suitor of his marvelous daughter, but Autumn would have none of them for husband. And so she roamed free and unfettered about the forests, drinking of its wonders, and giving unto the folk of the wood as she could with her spells and skills.

There also dwelt at that time in the same land a young man by the name of Talos, who traveled those parts in the service of his god. None knew his parents, for he was found abandoned upon the step of the temple of Yavanna in the town of Whitefield, and was taken by the priestess therein, who raised the lad as her own son. He was a fine man, well-mannered and skilled in all crafts. He grew to be not so great of stature or overly handsome of face, but rather he grew strong and wise under her guidance. No-one now knows when or how, but it is known that Talos was called into service as one of the Twelve, to serve the dark god Selivron. And thus the youth gathered his belongings, purchased a sword, mail, and a great black cloak, and set out into the world at the bidding of his dark Master, following the whisperings of Tinuviel the Fair, who sang gently into his ear.

And so in the summer of her nineteenth year came a day that Autumn ran singing through the wood, a young buck and a fox kit her companions. The sky was brimming with ever darker clouds, and the wind grew steadily cooler, and so she was about to take her leave and return home, when of a sudden she felt an odd presence in the wood. "It is one of your own kind, Mistress," said the kit. "We should flee." But something drew her onwards, and so she sent her companions off. "My spells shall protect me," she said unto them, and thereupon her lips and fingers danced, and her tongue formed the syllables of power that must be obeyed but cannot be remembered, and a spell sprang to life about her, cloaking her in invisibility. And thus clad in magic she made her way to the eastern part of the woods, following the urgings of the trees about her to see what had come to that place. She came to the road that wound its way among the trees, cutting from east to west across the wood, and there she came to stop, and hid behind a tree despite her magics; and there she waited, for she felt him coming long before he appeared. The first patter of raindrops had just begun making their mark upon her skin when she saw him.

A lone figure appeared on a black horse, trotting slowly up the forest road, taking care to duck the low-hanging branches so prevalent along that path. He wore a cloak as black as the horse upon which he sat, and his hood was pulled up against the coming rain, and it hid his face. His clothing was black as well, save for the glint of steel beneath his tunic (armor, she guessed), and Autumn thought she spotted an emblem of some sort embroidered upon his cloak – a bird, perhaps? She reached her heart out to the steed, and felt within it a keen sense of purpose, and yet no sense of urgency, and as well there was a feeling of inner satisfaction and peace. The man treated the steed well. Not a muscle did she move, nay, not even to blink or breathe as he did draw close, so as to remain silent and let him pass. But suddenly, as he reached but a step or two from her, the rider drew his mount to a halt, and raised his head. And then, before she could react, he threw back his hood, and at once, as if he knew she was there waiting for him, his head turned, and his eyes, pale green and burning with a distant inner flame, seized hers, and held her fast.

And in that instant was her spell shattered, and the cloak of invisibility fell from her shoulders, and she stood there, frozen, laid bare unto him.

The patter of rain went unnoticed as she stood there for the barest of moments, her gaze locked in his. And she hesitated for but the slightest instant before wisdom spoke unto her, and she turned and fled into the woods; but in that moment did something happen within her that never had before, and she knew not what it was. But it at once terrified and thrilled her.

Talos sat there for a moment or two before a raindrop landed in his eye and stirred him to action. He dismounted, spoke a word to his steed, and then ran off into the woods after the young woman he had just seen. And much to his surprise, although he was a magnificent runner in his own right, he found that he had great difficulty catching up to her. "She runs like the night wind among the trees," he thought, and yet he never wondered why he was pursuing her so. But presently, the lad’s conditioning proved a match for Autumn, and soon she heard his footsteps coming ever closer, nearing with every step. And so, realizing her attempt at flight was fruitless, she suddenly stopped, and whirled to meet him.

"What would you have of me?" she demanded of him, as he caught up to her and stopped but three paces from her. Spells formed themselves within her mind, and she desperately raced through them, trying to find the one best suited for defending herself; yet at the same time she somehow felt she need not worry herself with such actions.

Talos stopped and caught his breath, and for a few seconds he did not answer, only gazed upon her. And then: "My apologies, fair Lady," he said quietly. "For I meant not to startle you, or cause you to flee from my presence. I myself was but startled at your sudden appearance by the road, and I was taken by your display of magics therein; but I must confess that as well I was stricken by the fact that not in all my travels have I met a woman so fair as thee, and something stirred within me to see your face but one more time before I must needs depart."

Autumn was taken by his words, and so said nothing for the moment, at which he gave a polite bow, said, "Forgive me," and turned to take his leave. "Wait," she then said, her heart suddenly racing within her breast, although the run had not winded her. She reached out for his arm, but instead caught hold of his great cloak as it swept out with his turning. In the instant before he turned back to her again, she glanced at the cloak, and found that the emblem she had seen earlier was indeed a bird: a nightingale, to be precise. And then before the passing of another instant his eyes had turned to meet hers again, and she was lost for a second in their green fire. "Do tarry a moment, Lord," she bade him. "Surely your errand is not so pressing that you should refuse the hospitality of a lady?"

"My Master’s demands are quite clear," began Talos, but gazing into her eyes he faltered a moment, and his tone eased the slightest bit. "But a man needs his strength, and a gentleman indeed should never be so discourteous as to refuse such a gift. It has been many a day since I have had a warm bed upon which to rest, or have had a hot meal to eat. I shall be the better for your ministrations."

"Then come with me," said Autumn, "and I shall tend to your needs." And so, in perfect silence, she led him back to his horse, which he took by the reins, and then the two of them walked their way back to the small but well-appointed home that she shared with her father in the woods. After he had bathed, Talos dressed in his cleanest clothes (while the invisible, magical servants, creations of her father to do the housework, laundered his clothes and tended to his mount), and he then joined Autumn at the table, to partake of a meal of her own making. The two of them had the cottage to themselves, as Kael was away at the city, purchasing supplies. Just before they began eating, Autumn finally broke the silence. "I have not seen you in these parts before, Milord," she said. "Perhaps you are new to these lands? What are you called, and from where do you hail?"

"I am called Talos," he answered simply as he began eating. "I grew up in Whitefield, but of late I am ever bound to the road. What is your name, fair Lady?"

"I am called Autumn," said she; "I was born in this house, and have lived here all my life."

"Autumn," he said, intoning the name. "A fitting name, methinks. For you are indeed as beautiful in mine eye as the painted leaves in that time of year, if I may be so bold as to say it, and if it not be so forward as to insult my good hostess."

"Not at all," said she, and she felt her cheek grow warm. "Thank you for your kind words, Talos."

"And not only that," he continued, "but that season is indeed a magical time of the year, dear to so many of the gods. For I sense that your great beauty is but the least of your gifts, as I have seen your talents in mist-weaving."

Autumn could only smile.

The meal passed quickly, and in that time Talos proved himself of consummate skill in the art of conversation. For he asked Autumn many questions about herself, and allowed her to spend the entire meal speaking of her own life, and the things she held dear. And he was an attentive listener, nodding when she made a point, smiling at her tales of delight and wonder, and asking questions that showed a genuine interest in what she had to say. Autumn enjoyed herself so thoroughly in his attentions that the meal was over before she realized that she had asked him nothing about himself, and so, as she cleared the last of the dishes from the table, she said unto her guest: "But enough of this; I have spoken far too much of myself. Tell me, Milord, what is your business? Who is this Master of whom you speak?"

And Talos’ answer came quietly and simply: "I serve a dark Master, and of him and my mission I am forbidden to speak. Know only that my business is of utmost importance, and if my Master permits, perhaps I may speak of it unto you when I return through these parts again."

Autumn paused a moment, for she knew not what to say in response to this. "I see," she breathed quietly. And then, after a moment’s silence: "May I offer you some wine?"

"I may partake of some wine, but not overmuch," he said, his tone suddenly much lighter. "And I have not had any in quite some time. I would very much enjoy some!"

Autumn smiled, glad to be past the moment of unease, but at once she was met with another quandary: for when she went to the cellar to fetch a bottle, she found that her father had taken the last of their stock with him. But clever was she, and resourceful, and so when she returned to the table, she said: "I fear my father has taken the last of the wine with him. But a good hostess is never found wanting." And with that she reached into her mind, and found within the spell-rings that Oak had etched upon her mind the spell of her desire, one which had served her well in her travels within the wood, and she chanted its syllables as she fetched an empty ewer. She chanted the last syllable of the spell, and just as she expected, the ewer suddenly filled to the brim with wine. But much to her surprise, so did every last empty bottle, goblet, and container within the room; even the empty wash-basin had been filled to the very brim. Talos spoke not, but lifted his glass, now suddenly full of wine, to his lips, saying, "Many thanks, Milady." And after he had sipped a bit of the wine, he lowered his glass again, a look of pleasant surprise upon his face. "Blessed am I to have a Hostess so generous unto her guests," said he. "For this is by far the best wine I have ever tasted."

Autumn raised her own glass to her lips, and to her surprise, she found it not to be full of the nondescript wine which the spell normally yielded unto her, but rather it had been filled with miruvor, Elven-wine of the highest quality. She sipped it in wonder for a moment, savoring its splendid bouquet and surpassing fine taste. "Only the finest of gifts for the finest of guests," she said then. And they smiled unto one another.

The rain continued all that evening, and so when they moved to the hearth to continue talking, their wine-filled glasses still in hand, it was cool enough to call for a fire to be made. Talos fetched the wood for her at his own insistence, and then she lit it with a word and an arcane gesture. Again, to her surprise, instead of simply coming to light in one corner of the stack and then slowly working its way to full life, the fire suddenly sprang into full being, crackling and roaring, and casting delightful shadows about the room. The two of them took their places by the fire, and spoke well into the evening, she delighting him with tales of mirth and excitement from the wood, and he smiled as he listened. But presently he rose and said, "I again thank you for your fine hospitality, Milady. But I fear I must be off ere the morning sun rises, for such is the urgency of my mission. I have many miles yet before me on the road. I must to my bed."

Autumn arose with him. "But surely, Milord, you shall return?" she said. "For I have shared with you all this day stories of myself, yet you have shared with me none of your own. And you mentioned you might stop back here upon your return. To share with me the story of your mission, if you may."

Talos waited a moment before responding: "Aye, I shall. I may not be able to speak of my doings, but I promise that the next time I come to these lands again, I shall stop at this place, and partake of your hospitality again." And he thanked her again, and then took his leave of her for the night.

He awoke before dawn, and gathered his things, and was readying his mount for the day’s journey when he heard her enter the stable. "I came to see you on your way, good Sir Knight," she said to him, and came and stood by his side.

"Nay, not a Knight," said he. "But rather I serve One as do you."

Autumn moved to help him in his work, and she looked to see that the steed was comfortable in his tack. "But you carry a sword," she said. "My patron Oak forbids his servants to carry a blade, and I understood it was thus among those pledged to others of the Circle."

"Mine is a harsher Master," said Talos. "He is not known for his mercy."

"I then perceive the urgency of your mission, Milord," she said, for she now knew whom Talos served. And now there came from within her a feeling she had never felt before, and yet she recognized it immediately. For she loved him, and she knew she felt the pain of impending loss, for she knew not if he would ever return. And so she reached up and kissed his cheek. "Farewell, then, and may all the gods of the Circle watch over you in your journey."

At this he turned to her, and he took her hand in his. "My fairest Lady," he said unto her, "know that I find you beautiful and fascinating, and if it were permitted of me, I would stay here with you and beg your hand as wife. But although my Master cannot prevent me from feeling as I may, I am bound to chastity and celibacy so long as I live and breathe, and I may not wive." He looked deeply into her eyes, and the fire within his own eyes burnt but dimly, and she could feel his pain as keenly as her own. "Forgive me."

Autumn held his hand in return. "There is nothing to forgive," said she. And then, after a pause, "You shall return as you promised me, yes?"

Talos nodded. "Such was my word, and such it remains."

"Then go," said she, and she kissed him again. "I await your return."

And so he left, vanishing at a trot into the mists of the wood, and she heard him turn down the road to the west. She saw him not again for many months, but in that time she was not idle. For with all her skills she wrought many gifts for him: she sewed a splendid gown to wear for him upon his return, and she wrote an air to sing for him, and she devised a new spell of illusion for his delight. As well she tried casting her spells again that she had cast for him that evening at dinner, but she was unable to duplicate the results of that night. All the wine she could summon was a mere ewer-full again, and it again was common wine, not the miruvor as before.

And then there came the time in the depths of winter, some six months after Talos’ departure, when in the dead of night she awoke as if from a nightmare, for she thought she heard a voice crying out in agony. She sat up straight in bed, the covers pulled tightly around her in the cold, and from the far west she felt him from across the miles. A cold, sharp pain gripped her, for she could feel him within her heart. "I hear you," she cried. "I hear you!" But no voice came to answer her, save a wolf howling in the wood; yet still she felt within her an answer: for he felt her too.

For the next month, she would each day try again to call out to him, but to no avail. But then, when the wood was awash in the spring thaw, there came a day where, when she called out to him, there came an answer: I am coming. And the next day, when she tried again, she heard his voice within her, almost as surely as he stood next to her: "I am in the city of Moravia, and I shall be in the forest by sunset. I shall be with you again for the evening meal."

"I shall be waiting," she answered, and at once bathed and dressed herself in the gown she had made; and indeed, just after sunset of that day she felt him nearing, and a few minutes after that she heard the hoofbeats of his mount. And then he was there, and she flew to his arms, and they held one another close in greeting. "I feared for your life," she told him. "Did you hear me call to you?"

"Aye, that I did," he said to her, and his eyes smiled unto hers. "I was mortally wounded in battle, and the pain was nearly so great that I lost consciousness. But then I felt something within me; it seemed as if you were reaching out to me, and comforting me, calling for me to come back to you, begging me to live. I gathered my wits and used the gifts that my Master gave unto me, spells with which to better perform in his service, and I healed myself, while my companions on that journey vanquished the weakened enemy. I heard not your call again, until just yesterday, when I heard your calling, and I answered. Only then was I sure that it was indeed you and not some ghost or spirit that had called to me in my time of need."

Many days did he spend with her, regaling her with tales of far-off places which he had visited, and some of the people he had met; yet he spoke not of his companions in the journey, nor would he tell of the nature of his mission, nor of any of his deeds in that journey. She in the meanwhile sang for him her song, at which he took great delight. And as well she cast the spell which she had made for him; it was devised to have an illusory nightingale spring to life within the room, and sing a sweet song which the birds had taught her., but when she cast it, the room instead faded away, to be replaced by a tree-filled grove with a nightingale on every branch, and they sang to the couple in a grand chorus of birds. The two of them took great comfort in one another’s company, and soon discovered that not only were her spells heightened in his presence, but his strength was magnified by her presence as well, and the closer the two were, the more easily could they speak without words. But there soon came the time again when he must be off, and so they parted company again, not without tears on her part and sorrow as well upon his.

Over the next few years, he visited her many more times, sometimes being gone for but a few weeks at a time, once being gone for nearly a year. But always did he return, and always did they reach for one another across the miles, speaking within each other’s heart when they could. And in those times did Talos grow more powerful, as he became an ever more favored servant of his Master, and his stature grew among the Twelve. And likewise did Autumn’s skills grow, her dweomer-craft ever waxing under her father’s guidance, and her talents as a servant of Oak progressing as well, her name whispered in awe among the circles of animals across the entire land as her favor grew great in the eyes of her own Master. And then there came the day when her wisdom spoke unto her, and for the first time, she took up her father’s spell-books, and began the learning of magics of a nature other than the gentle illusions and the like she had learnt for her own convenience and furthered knowledge – she began learning spells as if a mage planning to adventure in the outlands, learning to cast bolts of magical energy from her hands, and to shield herself from hostile magics, and to dispel magics and magical effects that might harm her. And although she never found use for them, and she kept the vast majority of her ring-slots filled with spells of her wont, she ever kept a small number of slots filled with these combative spells. Ever did she wait for Talos’ return, and ever was he successful in his missions, and ever did he hurry to return to her side when his travels took him into her wood again.

* * * * *

The king of the land in those years was called Peladon, and he was a wizard of great skill. He was a good man, but weak of will, and so in the latter years of his life, when his skills began to fail him and his mind grew less able to fathom the infinite complexities of the most powerful spells, he despaired and turned to summoning fell beasts from the Otherworlds to serve him. But over the years the beasts broke free of his control, and he became as a puppet to them, the servants becoming the masters, and Peladon was wholly corrupted by them, and the wise, beneficent king became a cruel tyrant, evil and uncaring of his subjects. Yet great still was his power, so much so that none dared oppose him, and the land began suffering under his abuses.

And so there came a time when to Peladon’s ears came tale of a woman of great power and beauty, who dwelt in a forest on the far eastern edge of his kingdom. Whereupon the king retired to his study, demoniac servants in tow, and there at the top of the highest tower of his palace he took his place at a vast oaken table, upon which sat an enchanted sphere of purest crystal. He spoke the words of power, and touched the orb, and at once the mists began to swirl within it; and before his eyes came the vision of Autumn, dancing in the wood, singing with the birds and running with the deer. "You see, Sire," said the fiend at his shoulder. "She is indeed beautiful, and an accomplished sorceress as well. A fitting wife for one of your vast powers, Majesty." And Peladon nodded. "I must have her," he said, and turned to the beasts. "Fetch her here for me."

And so the fiends flew off to the east, and presently they came upon Autumn and Kael tending to the hens at their home, whereupon they seized her and dragged her screaming back to the palace. Kael battled them with his spells, but to no avail; the beasts fell upon him and wounded him grievously, though not mortally. Autumn was held between two of the fiends as they flew back to the Witch-King, and her hands were held and her mouth bound. But her mind was unfettered, and with all her soul she called out to the skies: Help me!

And Talos heard her.

The fiends brought her to the throne room, where she was prostrated before the king. "Allow her to speak," said the monarch, "But should she begin to form a spell upon her lips, kill her." He turned to Autumn, and smiled. "Welcome to the Palace, child," said he. "Make yourself at home. For this shall indeed become your home, once the wedding has taken place. Perhaps I shall be generous to you, and allow you to choose which room in which our ceremony shall take place." But Autumn did not rant or rave, nor did she spit or scream as one might in her place. Rather, she held her head aloft, and spoke evenly thus: "You are a fool if you think I shall consent to this. For I love another, and not only shall I never have feelings for you, I should pity you, for my love comes to rescue me, and should I fail to kill you myself, surely he shall."

Thereupon Peladon reached into her mind with his magics, and despite her father’s training to resist such intrusions, her feelings for Talos were so great and so deep that Peladon saw them with ease, divined the name of Talos, and saw that that Talos and Autumn could speak across great distances. But he failed to read any of her other secrets, and he saw that he could not wrench the spells from within her rings. "Find this man Talos and slay him," said the Witch-King to the beasts. And a company of eight of the fiends departed at once, after which the King turned back to his desired bride. Now, the king was indeed corrupted, but he had been raised as a follower of Tikka in his youth, and as such he still feared the curse that befell the man who married a woman against her truest will. And thus he had Autumn cast into a cell at the base of the north tower of the castle, and wrought magical barriers around the room, preventing her from escaping, and also preventing her from reaching her mind out to Talos. The room had but a single bed in it, and a wash-basin and clothing for her, but no other furnishings or accouterments, save a lone barred window that looked out upon the hillside. But she begged the king to let her have a quill, ink and paper upon which to write, and Peladon, seeing some advantage in granting her this wish, let it be so, having them placed within her cell.

And as soon as she was cast therein, Autumn began calling to mind her spells one by one, and over the next several days, while the king’s attention was turned elsewhere, she committed with utmost care the formulae for each of her mage-spells to the pages she was given, hiding the erstwhile spell-book with a spell of her own to keep the King or his servants from finding it when they came to gloat, or to threaten her, or to feed her or bring her water for bathing. Once the spell-book was complete, she memorized from it the spell of breaking, and once it was firmly within her rings, she cast it, to break the spell of imprisonment and escape. But the spell held fast. "I am not powerful enough," she thought. "But I shall be prepared to help Talos when he arrives to release me." And so the next morning, when the spaces within her mind were again fresh and ready to accept new spells, she emptied her mind of the spells she thought useless to combat, filled all the ring-spaces with battle-spells and spells of breaking, and then burned the spell-book with flames from her fingertips. Peladon and his servants thought to facilitate breaking her will by feeding her naught but bread and water, but the Witch-King’s magics were powerless to sever her connection with her god, and Oak’s spells provided her with all the food, wine, and comforts she needed. And thus she waited.

In the meantime, even as Peladon picked the knowledge of her love from Autumn’s mind, Talos took leave of his companions, and found a peaceful place in the woods to meditate and pray. "My dearest Queen and Lady," he murmured, "O Nightingale who sits at the side of my dearest Lord and Master, hear me, for I am in desperate need of counsel." And Tinuviel came to him, appearing to his eyes only in that glade, and speaking to him in his mind. "Dearest child and faithful servant of my Lord and Husband," said she, "Thy Master is well-pleased with thy efforts on our behalf. He desireth that thou finish thy quest and slay Kali’s servant whom we despise, but upon that completion, you may with all speed return to her, and rescue her from her prison. For King Peladon doth hold thy beloved within his dungeons, and it is to you alone to save her. But once you have done so, thou must return to thy task, for thy Master doth see a great path before you, and hath a multitude of deeds which thou must yet perform."

"As thou sayeth, so shall it be, my dearest Queen," said Talos, bowing low. "I am nothing if I am not a faithful and true servant of thee and thy Lord."

"Go then, child," said she. "And beware! For Peladon hath mighty servants whom he hath sent to slay thee, and stop thee in thy task. Thy road shall be perilous indeed, perhaps more so than any other which thou hast yet encountered. Be strong, and thy faith shall be your banner and your strength." And she vanished, and at once Talos returned to his companions. Indeed did the group of them slay the necromancer Voghun the very next day; but that is a tale worth telling of its own. And thus, two days after he had heard Autumn’s cry in his heart, he departed those distant lands, and with all speed began the journey home, the blood of the necromancer still wet upon his blade.

Four weeks had it taken him to travel from Autumn’s door to where he was, yet he knew he could make the return journey in but three weeks, two if he changed horses often along the way, and thus he left his magnificent black steed in the care of his companions, purchased a horse the nearby farming village, and departed with all haste for the west. He stopped but four times a day, thrice to change horses, and once at midnight to sleep, and he made excellent progress. However, he was but a week into the journey when they found him.

None recall the name of the Inn where he stayed that night, but it is known that in the third hour past midnight, the window in his room was sundered, and he awoke with a start to see the shapes of the eight beasts whom the Witch-King had sent after him. They were black and shapeless, with hooked wings, horrid claws and red eyes, and they spoke unto him: "You are the one called Talos, yes?"

Talos rose slowly and carefully, and took hold of the scabbard which lay under his bed. For the sake of expedience he had slept in his armor, and he was now doubly thankful of that decision. "Who is asking?" he asked, slowly drawing his sword from its sheath.

"King Peladon has sent us to greet you, and make sure you are made to feel welcomed by him." And the foremost beast stepped forward, its claws extended and its fangs exposed.

"Then I welcome thee as well," said Talos, and he rose, and held before him his magnificent sword. The blade’s name was Derelor, and its name was known far and wide, for it had belonged to Melius, the Chamberlain in Queen Tinuviel’s court, and before him it belonged to the Elf-warrior Bria herself, and she had wielded it in the defense of Marjeesia against the attack of the Dark Elves some five hundred years before. It glowed a soft blue in the moonlit room, and its Elf-runes of power could be seen on its blade. But the fiends were unimpressed by the blade, and they descended upon him en masse. He slew five of them before he finally fell; but fall he did indeed, and Derelor was broken beneath him as he passed from this world into the Halls of Selivron. The remaining beasts ignored their dead, and instead took delight in ravaging the body of the fallen man, mutilating it beyond recognition. They then searched the body, and they found hanging from a metal chain from his neck a small trinket of sorts: a silver deer’s head with the elf-rune A etched upon its neck, its eyes tiny sapphires. Laughing, they ripped the chain from Talos’ body, and with their prize they vanished into the night.

* * * * *

Autumn had no idea what Peladon wanted when he knocked at her door. "Yes?" she called.

The door opened and the king stepped in, and at once cast something upon the floor at her feet. She saw it to be a broken silver chain which still bore a tiny deer’s head pendant, and she recognized it immediately. She had had it commissioned by a silversmith in the city, and she had given it to Talos upon his second return to her, and she knew he wore it next to his heart at all times.

"Thy love is dead," said the Witch-King, and he slammed the door upon her.

Autumn could do nothing but weep.

* * * * *

Talos remembered feeling only a shock if intense pain, and then a gradual nothingness; but then he woke, and stood to see where he was. Never after his experience could he describe what he saw, for its memory was reft of him; yet he knew at once where he was, for there was a sweet singing in his ears, and the voice he at once knew, for it had been whispered into his ear countless times, and indeed he had just spoken with her a scant seven days in the past. It was Tinuviel, and she was singing a song of such beauty that he forgot his pains and woe for the moment, and he could do naught but approach the sound. Time passed, but he knew not how much; eventually he came to a great castle, so vast his mind could not take it all in at once. He entered that place, and made his way to the main hall, wherein he found a great pair of thrones. The first was vast, greater in size and more magnificent in design than any that has ever been or shall ever be, and it was empty. The second was no less impressive in design, but it was smaller and more suited to a mortal woman, and upon it sat his dearest Queen Tinuviel, still singing. She bade him come closer, and she ceased in her song.

"Hail and well met, faithful servant," she said unto him.

"My Queen and Lady," he said, and dropped to one knee. "I am honored to be so blessed as to come to this place at this, the last of my days; and whether I be so blessed as to become a Knight in thy Lord’s militia, or whether I be so disfavored as to be stricken from my own form for Eternity, I count myself Luckiest for having been granted so great a gift, not only to serve thee and thy Lord in life, but to be greeted by thee in my death."

At this the Queen smiled, and she reached forth, and touched his shoulder. "Rise, good man," she bade him. "Indeed thou hast been promised a placed in the Knighthood of our Lord and Master upon your death, and so it shall be. But the Dark One hath decreed that this be not your time of passage. For he still doth require that thou achieve a great number of things yet, and so he commandeth that thou be cast from this place of rest unto the upper world again, that thou mayest complete thy task." And as Talos looked on in stunned awe, he saw a shadow of great stature move behind the other throne, and Talos could not but avoid looking in that direction. There then appeared in Tinuviel’s hands a splendid sheath of leather and platinum, and within it was a blade that Talos recognized from the hilt alone: it was indeed Derelor, and Tinuviel gently handed him the weapon. "Thy Master bid thee take this and return to thy task. The blade was broken in thy valiant stand against the fiends, but my Husband hath prevailed upon his brother Ehvenor to reforge the blade anew, and give it new and greater powers. Use it well, child, and make us proud of thee!"

Talos accepted the blade, and bowed his head in reverence. "As thou commandest, so shall it be," said he. And with that, the room swirled and eddied, and in an instant he found himself standing amidst a wooded glade, alive and uninjured, his armor intact and Derelor at his waist. Next to him stood his great black steed, and he leapt up into its saddle. "Thy mount hath been changed as well," came Tinuviel’s voice unto his ears, "For Oak hath taken favor upon thee as well, for Autumn is his own daughter as assuredly as she is the fruit of Kael and Myria themselves, and thus the steed shall fly with speed beyond all other horses, and he shall never tire. Go now! And god speed!" And at this he turned to the west again, and called out with his mind: "I am coming!" But from Autumn he heard no reply, and for the barest of moments, his heart sank, for he feared her dead.

* * * * *

Peladon paced the floor of Autumn’s cell, three of his servants just behind him. "I grow weary of your insistence in this matter," he said, his face creased into a scowl. "The man is dead, and should you refuse to be my bride, you shall indeed perish within this room yourself. Yield, woman. You would be infinitely happier at my side than here in this wretched cell."

But she spoke not to him, and looked not at him but rather out the small window of her cell. "I shall stay here forever, for now that he is gone I desire nothing more from this weary life."

"I need not be so kind, you know," said the Witch-King. "For if I grow much more weary of your insolence, I shall lose interest in you as a bride altogether, and perhaps I shall be persuaded to let my servants have their way with you." And the fiends hissed with eagerness behind him. But she said nothing in response, only stared out the window.

And then she heard it. Faint it was at first, but in time it grew stronger and stronger until it was nearly shouting into her ears. For Peladon, thinking Talos still dead, had loosened his spell upon Autumn so that he could use those magics elsewhere, and so had lifted the screen that blocked her from throwing her thoughts to the wind that Talos might hear her. And so in her mind came Talos’ words: "I have arrived at the city; I fear you are dead, for I have called unto you many times, but yet have heard nothing in response. Alas if you are slain, but if this is the case, or even if it not be and I be lucky enough that you still live, I shall lay my hands upon Peladon myself and send him unto my Lord and Master’s realm with an end befitting his kind. I come for you, my beloved!"

At this she suddenly stood erect and proud, and took but a moment to call back for him: "I am here, my Lord! I await your arrival with infinite gladness!" And thereupon she suddenly turned to Peladon, and said, "Perhaps your servants have failed you, foolish king," she said, her eyes flashing and her voice aflame. "For my love yet lives, and he is here for me. Shall you cower within your castle while your beasts fall one by one to his blade? Or shalt thou go and meet thy death bravely, and perish upon the blade of the only man I would deign call husband?"

"Come!" shouted the king. And he turned, and slammed the door upon her again, shouting orders of attack unto his demoniac servants.

At that moment Talos came flying through the street upon his horse, running like the summer wind across the grass, having made the remaining week’s journey in but four days; and he took the castle in sight, and at once found wherein she was kept, and he turned his mount northwards and headed for the tower at that side of the castle. But just then a horrid screeching filled the air, and the skies were suddenly filled with the bestial servants of the king, spilling over the ramparts of the castle like an oncoming tide of vermin and filth. But he ignored them, save only to dismount and continue at a sprint on foot, heading with all his speed for her tower. He was but fifty yards distant when the first beast reached him, but suddenly there was Derelor in his hand, and with but two strokes of the sword he lay the fiend upon the ground. But he got nary a yard closer before the second fiend was there, and a third came before the second was dispatched. Derelor swung mightily within his hand, and the fiends died and died and died, but still could he get no closer to his desire, for there were simply too many of the fell creatures.

"No," whispered Autumn to herself from her cell. For she could see him now, fighting valiantly just a stone’s throw from her window, and as well she could feel him; and with every step he came closer to her she felt her power grow; and yet with every passing instant she felt his life-force dim ever so slightly as the beasts clawed and tore at him. And now he was being pushed back away from her. "No!" she cried, and at once she unleashed the first of the spells of breaking from the rings within her mind, and hurled it against the barrier-spell keeping her at bay. But the spell held fast; she still was not strong enough. And ever more did Talos’ life-force fade, and ever more was he pushed away from her. "NO!" she screamed, and nearly fell into despair. "Talos!" she cried at the top of her lungs, and she wept openly.

And, above the din, despite the blade flashing in his hand and the claws ripping at his skin and his ever-growing fatigue, Talos heard her, and he felt her cast the spell against her bonds, and he felt her despair. But still the beasts came, faster than he could kill them, and they pushed him further and further from his beloved. He felt her despair mixed with his own, and he began weeping as well. And then he heard a single voice he had not heard before, rising above the roars of the beasts, but Talos recognized it at once. "So," called out Peladon. "You now see my power. I slew you once, and I shall slay you again, and yet again if I must. But you shall never have her. She is mine, for now and for the rest of her days. You have lost, boy. Now die."

And upon hearing those words Talos suddenly found welling within him a rage like he had never felt before, and his fatigue left him, and his pain vanished, and he suddenly found himself possessed of a new strength beyond what he had ever known before. Like bolts of lightning did the blows from Derelor suddenly come, and the fiends, surprised for the moment, backed the slightest bit away from him. And therein he saw his chance. He suddenly leapt forward, pushing fiend after fiend out of his way with the strength of three men, and with his last ounce of strength, hurled himself through the air to as close to the north tower as he could manage, landing but ten yards from its walls. But in that effort he had spent the last bit of his strength, and so now he collapsed to the ground, and was immediately swarmed upon by the fell beasts.

And then there came from the tower a single cry of "No!" and a sudden shouting of mystical syllables, and with a sudden newfound power gained from Talos’ final approach, Autumn loosed the final spell of breaking from the rings in her mind. And such was the power of the spell once loosed that the barrier-spell came down with a blast of thunder, and the wall of the tower tore open, sending debris in every direction. Without thinking, she chanted a few more syllables while the fiends stood stunned, and with a single gesture she sent a lightning bolt tearing through their midst, and they died within it or fell away from the blast; and so she carved a path to her loved one, and she flew to his side in that instant. There he lay, dazed and bleeding, and she knelt over him, and wept. Yet he sat up of his own accord. "Cry not, Beloved," he said to her through bloodied lips. "For my Master is generous in more ways than one. You remember, I have spells of my own." And he chanted for an instant, while the fiends fought and argued amongst themselves over who would be the next to attack the pair and die; and when he finished the spell, his wounds suddenly vanished, and he was healed and ready to fight once again. "Come, Love," he said, and he held out his hand to her. "Let us be done with this lot." And she smiled and took his hand in hers; and at their touch they suddenly formed into one another, and her flesh vanished within his, and yet her mind remained her own, and she saw through his eyes. And at one they knew what they must do.

With a cry, Talos hurled himself at the nearest fiend, his strength increased tenfold by her presence within him, and he clove the beast in two with a mighty shout. And at once the melee was engaged again, a horde of the fiends swarming about him, biting and tearing. But Derelor swung mightily in his hand, and as well spells of power ripped forth from his lips as Autumn cast the spells from within him, and the beasts fell, sometimes as individuals to the speed and strength of Derelor and the hand of Talos, sometimes as groups as Autumn’s power tore through them, and felled them by the lot. Within ten minutes, all the beasts lay dead, and Talos stood there panting, nearly exhausted by the feat, the voice of Autumn singing triumphantly in his ears. And then he turned to see the crooked form of the Witch-King, just off to his left, standing defiantly with staff gripped tightly in hand. "Now, Defiler," said the servant of the Dark God. "I send thee unto my Master for time Eternal."

No sooner did Talos finish speaking than a spell of power ripped forth from Peladon’s throat, and was hurled screaming at the two made one; but Autumn chanted a countering-spell that shattered the Witch-King’s blast as it reached them. And Talos took a step towards the old man. "Accursed beast," he breathed under his breath, and he gripped Derelor ever tighter.

Peladon summoned forth a second spell, vastly more powerful than the first; but again Autumn batted it away with a countering spell, and Talos took yet another step towards the wizard. "God-forsaken ghoul."

And a third time did Peladon raise his staff and begin the incantations of a final spell, but before the spell was finished Talos suddenly leapt forward and drove Derelor in through the Witch-King’s abdomen and out between his shoulder blades. Talos lifted the old man from the ground with naught but the strength of his hand upon the blade of the sword, and he glowered at him with eyes smoldering in a hateful glow. "I should keep thee alive, fell creature, and have thee die a slow, painful death," he said slowly and quietly. "But –" and he gave Derelor a sudden twist, sending the old king into oblivion before the sentence was finished. "My Master hath a fitting punishment for thee planned for thee when thou arriveth within his great halls. Farewell." And with that, Talos cast the sword aside, and then fell to the ground unconscious.

When he awoke some time later, he found Autumn at his side, and about them were gathered a great throng of people from that city, who gave a great cheer when he stirred and sat up. The noise woke Autumn from her slumber, and she was for a moment surprised to be separated from her love, but she too stirred and rose. The crowd was ecstatic, and praised the two of them. "You have set us free from the tyranny of the fallen Peladon!" they cried. "You must be our King and Queen!" But the two of them refused their pleas, and begged that they choose a leader from among their own ranks to replace the dead king. The townsfolk relented, and agreed to this decision only after some convincing from the couple; but the town still insisted that the two of them remain for the celebration. Peladon’s body was burned in an elaborate ceremony, and his ashes cast to the wind afterwards, and an impromptu parade and feast were held in honor of the two. But soon after the feast they took their leave of the townsfolk, climbed together upon the back of the great black steed, and headed off for home.

They arrived at the house a day and a half later, and therein they found Kael, deathly infirm from his grievous wounds and bound to his bed; but with a word and a gesture Talos freed him from all injury, and the old man delightedly stood up and embraced his daughter and the young man. They told him their entire story, and the mage alternately gasped, wept, and cheered his way through the tale. They held a small feast of their own, and after that the couple went wandering in the woods alone, glad to have the time and the quiet to themselves. They walked hand in hand for some time, talking of this and that little thing, but presently they came to a favorite copse of trees, and they stopped therein, and gazed at the stars. They said nothing for a while, but then Autumn finally broke the silence.

"You are leaving again, aren’t you?" she asked quietly.

Talos looked down and sighed. "Aye, love," he said. "My Master demands that I continue my mission. I cannot tarry in my duties, now that he has given me leave to part from my quest to come to your aid."

"Nor shall you tarry," came a sudden voice from behind them. And the two of them whirled, and there before them stood Tinuviel in all he glory, glimmering as a jewel in the evening light. The two of the dropped to their knees before her in adoration, but she placed a hand on the shoulder of each one and bade them rise. "For thy Master hath given unto thee a new Task," she said, "which actually hath been your task for the longest of times, good Talos. For thy entire life up to this time hath been for but one purpose: to face and slay the Witch-King as thou didst, and rid this world of a great evil before it came unto its fullest power. But now before thee layeth a greater task, one which will meet its end long after thou walkest together within the land of my Husband. For the two of thee are to walk together upon this very Earth for many years together, and thy task together will be made clear in time. That is, of course, if thou wouldst accept one another as husband and wife?"

Talos but stood stunned for the moment, but Autumn took his hand in hers, and turning to Tinuviel she said, "Yes, Milady, if it please thee and thy Husband and the rest of the Circle," she said, "And if Talos would have me as well."

And thereupon Talos turn to her and gazed into her amber eyes. "I could conceive of no greater honor upon this earth than to call thee Wife, my fairest Autumn," he responded.

And thus under the stars the two were married on that very spot; Kael was called to attend them in the ceremony, and the animals drew close all around. Tikka herself was called in to perform the ceremony, which was long and wondrous and filled with blessings for the young couple from all twelve of the Circle. Kael still had a small fortune amassed from his adventuring days, and so he had a cottage for the young couple commissioned to be erected nearby, just an hour’s walk from her childhood home; and therein they dwelt with one another for the rest of the days, which were long and bounteous. And in the third year of their marriage did Autumn bear unto Talos their first and only child, a daughter of surpassing beauty whom they named Novinha after the priestess who had raised Talos as a lad. And far greater in stature did the child grow than even her parents did in her long and storied lifetime, for Novinha was possessed of a strong strain of Elven blood, and had many years beyond her parents, and she grew in such power as a mage as to warrant stories far longer and greater than this to praise the many things she did within her life, for she was the founding member of the Seventeen, the order of mages that built the shining citadel at Ehvenor upon the Inland Sea.

But, as I said, that tale is far longer and greater than this one, and so here ends our story.