By Law and Honor

Stormwolf

Blair Sandburg stood in the Courtyard of his once beloved home, staring at the surrounding trees with their blossoms in full bloom.

"Are you alright, son?"

Blair turned to look at his father, High King, Hart.  The King stood at Blair's height with his long chestnut curls falling past his shoulders, the same curls Blair had inherited along with the crystal blue eyes.

"Not really, Father." Blair answered as he moved to sit on a marble bench.

"I am sorry that this is so hard for you. But as High King I cannot change the laws to suit my every whim. Though in this case I wish I could, if only to stop your pain."

"I understand why you can't make an exception, at least my brain does, my heart..." Blair brushed the hair out of his eyes and tucked the chestnut locks behind his pointed ears.

Hart smiled, "I understand Blair. I do. If its any consolation he won't be abused. He'll be treated very well."

"I'm not sure he'll see it that way. He'll think I betrayed him. I didn't set out to do that!"

Hart sat down beside his son, "I know you didn't.

Eventually he;ll come to see that too."

"I truly thought that I could convince the Senate to change the law."

"Your speech was eloquent. It inspired me." Hart said smiling at his son.

"But it didn't inspire those old bastards." Blair said with vehemence in his voice.

"They hate change, Blair. If they chnage something that's been in effect for hundreds of years then they are saying the old Law Makers were wrong."

"But times change and we need to change with them."

"I heard your speech, Blair. I was there if you'll remember."

"I know." Blair felt as if he was going to cry.

"How long did the Senate give you?"

"A week. After that they'll send a Hunter." Tears fell from Blair's bright blue eyes.

Hart sighed, afraid to say what he needed to say."Blair I have a buyer lined up..."

"What!" Blair interrupted with a yell standing abruptly, "No!"

"It will be better this way, Blair. The buyer's from across the World Sea."

"No Father. That's too far. Please, I thought you would...keep him."

"Blair it would hurt both of you too much for me to keep him. The buyer is the High King of Telen'Ri, and he's a good friend of mine. Rhiaordan will take good care of him. You'll see, its better this way."

"Please, Father. Don't do this. Don't sell him. Don't make this worse than it already is."

"Blair think about it. How would he feel seeing you each day believing you betrayed him. That would make it worse."

"All I know is that I couldn't stand not being near him, knowing for myself the he's alright. Please, Father, reconsider."

Hart felt the tears in his eyes. He reached out and touched his son's chestnut curls. "I'll think about it, Blair. Okay, I promise I'll think about it."

"Thank you, Father."

"SO are you going back to Earth tomorrow?" Hart asked.

"Yes, I need to tell him. Try to explain it, somehow."

Blair sat back down on the marble bench and pressed his Aelven face into his hands.

"I wish it could be different, Blair. I really do."

Blair nodded into his hands. Hart left his son in the garden as he walked back intot he Palace.  Blair lifted his head and through tear blurred vision watched the pink and red petals fall.

**********

Blair walked through the ramp coming off the 747 at Cascade Airport. He felt a lump form in his throat when he saw his friend and sentinel, Jim Ellison, waiting for him.

"SO how was Naomi?" Jim asked.

"She's doing great. Kenya is so beautiful and the retreat is right up her alley."

"I'll bet." They walked over to the carousel and waited for Blair's bag to pop up.

"Get you some souveniers?" Jim asked as he picked up Blair's bag.

"A few."

They walked out of the airport and over to Jim's green F150.  Conversation was light, as Blair told Jim about the trip to Kenya, the Temple and retreat Naomi was staying at.

Blair was glad that he could control his body responses otherwise Jim's sentinel abilities would pick up on tha fact that he was lying.  Jim suggested they stop and pick up some Chinese takeout for dinner. Blair agrees and they stopped at the Chinese Palace.  Once back at the loft, Balir took his bag into his room setting it on the bed, then joined Jim at the table for dinner. After dinner they watched CNN news, and the ESPN highlights. The Jags had lost to the Lakers.

"Are you coming into the station tomorrow?" Jim asked.

"Yeah, no problem. Any new cases."

"Not really. I think all the criminals decided to take a vacation. Its been a slow weeks os Simon has us going through old unsolved cases. Boring actually."

"Sounds like it."  

A couple hours later both had taken teir showers and had gone to their respective rooms to sleep.

Blair lay in his bed staring at the ceiling. *You should have told him* Blair told himself, and knew that he was right. *A week* He thought, *One week to explain it to him. *

*He'll run* The thought suddenly occurred to him.  *He'll run and a Hunter will be sent after him. Oh god.* Blair knew Jim was good and might actually elude a Hunter, but Jim would be on the run for the rest of his life. Jim would believe that being on the run was better than the alternative. *I have to tell him*

Decided, Blair got out of bed wearing boxers and a T-shirt and walked upstairs to Jim's room.

Jim was lying on his stomach, one hand curled up next to his head, the other lain down next to his body, the blue comforter tucked up around his waist.  Blair wiped away tears from his eyes and went to stand at the foot of Jim's bed.  Halfway up the stairs it had occurred to him to wait till morning, but then he had decided to do it while he still had the nerve.

"Jim." He said in a low tone.

Upon hearing his guide's voice, Jim awoke immediately, and looked over at Blair.  "Blair? SOmething wrong?"

"JIm we need to talk its important."

Jim yawned, "Can't it wait till morning."

"No it can't. I should have told you earlier, but I was too afraid."

At the word afraid, Jim sat up in bed, "What is it, Chief?" He asked concerned. He could see tears glistening in Blair's blue eyes.

"You are going to hate me."

"Chief, I could never hate you."

Blair sighed, "Jim, I'm not who you think I am. I am going to do something, don't be afraid."

Jim's eyes widened as suddenly a glowing light descended over Blair, when it dissapated, Jim noticed that Blair looked different. His face looked younger, his ears were pointed and his blue eyes seemed to glow.

"What the hell are you?" Jim asked shocked.

"I am an Aelf." Blair answered.

"What, you mean like an Elf." Jim said almost laughingly.

"Sort of. But unlike mythical elvs, Aelves do not come from this world. Our world is called Aelfinnian, and can only be accessed through Gates or Portals that are naturally occurring between this world and my world."

"Damn, I must be dreaming. Chief, remind me not to watch the Scifi channel before going to bed." Jim made as if to lay beack down, but Blair's hard pinch on his arm made him yelp, "What the hell was that for!"

"To prove to you that you are not dreaming." Blair said.

Jim rubbed the sore spot and glared at Blair, "Alright, I'm not dreaming. You're an Aelf. Big deal, now can I go back to sleep."

"No, there's more. It concerns you, and you need to know."

Jim sighed. "Alright."

"In Aelfinnian we Aelves have been the sole species that had the ability to reason and think. Kind of like humans. We also had the ability to use the power of creation, the power that the Old One used to create both the Earth and Aelfinnian. You would call him God, I guess. Or the Great spirit, perhaps. We use only a small portion of the power, very little in terms of the power itself, but a great amount compared to mundane means. It is that power that allows us to open the gates between the two worlds."

"I still don't see what this has to do with me." Jim said amazed at the idea Blair was trying to convey.

"Here humans share their world with animals, some are wild like jaguars, some are pets, like dogs, and others are useful like horses. On Aelfinnian we also have animals. Unicorns are like horses, useful for riding, dragons and griffins are like jaguars, wild and sometimes dangerous, but our pets. Our pets were our greatest treasure. They were called 'Finns. They had rudimentary shapeshifting abilities. Their natural forms were cat like in appearance. Unlike humans, we did not mistreat our pets. They were well loved and well cared for."

"Were?"

"No full blooded 'Finns exist today thanks to the disease that swept through their numbers. We tried, but our healing abilities were not enough to protect them. To save them. We have a day of Mourning each year in which we remember them."

"Chief, its a sad sotry, but I don't see where this is going."

"One of our most powerful lords thought to save some of the 'Finns, and sent some thorugh the gates figuring they could survive as wild cats on Earth until the disease was cured. He was wrong. The 'Finns figured out how to shapeshift into a human like form. They bred with regular humans, and by the time the rest of us had figured it out, it was too late."

"When did you figure it out."

"Five hundred earth years later." Blair answered.

Jim choked. "Okay. So these 'Finns/humans mixes...what happened to them."

"Mostly the characteristics of the 'Finns, their shapeshifting abilities, and quick healing and such, were bred out where only humans traits remained. But even then the genes for such things were present, just dormant. Every now and then a human would be born with those abilities."

"And what happened to them."

"The Councils of the Seven Kingdoms of Aelfinnian got together and decreed in law that those whose abilities were not dormant would be returned to Aelfinnian. Whoever found them was given possession of the human/'Finn by the council."

"Chief, you mean to tell me that you made them into pets. Come on, you can't be serious. They were intelligent people."

"Yes, they were, but it was too dangerous to leave them on earth.  They did not want humans to realise that there was such a thing as magic. Humans aren't ready fo rhtat knowledge."

"Jeez, okay. I see. But I still don't get what that has to do with me...unless." Jim couldn't finish. It had all started to fall into place.

Blair finished, "Human/'Finn's who retained their abilties were given the name by both us and the humans...they are called Sentinels."

Jim was up and out of his bed faster than Blair thought possible grabbing Blair by his shirt and throwing the guide against the wall. "No!" He growled.  "How the hell can you people justify that!" Jim yelled, "Fuck!"  Slamming Blair against the wall with nearly evey word, Jim continued, "You come here, into my home, into my life, just so you can be granted custody of me, huh, is that it!"

"Jim please, you're hurting me." Blair whimpered.

Jim growled and dropped Sandburg. The young Aelf fell unceromoniously to the ground.  "How? How can you justify that?"

Blair rubbed his head were it had hit the wall. "When the Councils first decided the solution the sentinels of the time weren't exactly human."

Jim glared at his guide, "What do you mean?"

"They really didn't have intelligence. Awareness of themselves. They were human like beasts. The tribes revered them, however because they were protective and loyal. It wasn't until several generations later that they began to be born intelligent.By that time the law had been in place for over three hundred years. Laws that old are considered sacred and difficult to change."

Jim snorted at that. He looked at Blair who still sat on the floor where the sentinel had dropped him. "So what happens now?"

"The Council gave me a week to bring you back."

"What do you mean back. You found me, I thought you owned me now or something." Jim practically spat the words.

"Among Aelves, we are not considered adults until we are at least fifty. Until that time we cannot own property. Everything I have here in reality belongs ot my father."

*Including me,* Jim thought. "And if I don't go back with you?"

"they'll send a Hunter. Aelves, women, always women, who have special gifts. They can work a spell that allows them to know exactly where their quarry is at all times. All they would need is a personal item from you. Which they already have thanks to a Council spy. They can also work a spell tha allows them to go a month without food water or rest. They have never failed. Ever."

"Shit." Jim growled to himself.  “Shit !” Jim cursed as he walked over to his closet and pulled out his duffel bag and began to pack.

Blair got up from the floor and moved to sit on Jim’s bed as he watched the sentinel pack some of his clothes.  “Are you leaving tonight?” Blair asked.

“No I still need to resign. Take care of a few things.” Jim shook his head, “You said I had a week. They won’t send a Hunter until after the week?”

“No. The Council doesn’t lie. You have a week.”

Jim nodded as he zipped up the bag. Then he looked at Blair. “I’m going to try and sleep the rest of the night.” His cold blue eyes said ‘get out of my room’ to Blair. The guide nodded standing up and carefully walked down the stairs leaving the sentinel to sleep.

Morning eventually came and both them went through their usual routine. Blair made breakfast and the two of them ate in silence. Jim had taken his shower while Blair made breakfast, then while Jim dressed, Blair showered.

“I’m going to finish up my paperwork, then turn in my resignation.” Jim said.

Blair knew that it was hard for Jim to say it, to know he would have to resign from the job he had had for over five years.

They walked into the bullpen quietly. The others took one look at Jim’s face and Blair’s silent one and knew not to be anywhere around the pair. The sentinel and guide seated themselves at Jim’s desk and began working on Jim’s paperwork.  By the afternoon, Jim had his paperwork mostly done and was able to begin working on his resignation.  

At about 1:00 pm, Captain Banks came in after having been at a budget meeting. He immediately noticed the quiet tone of the bullpen and pinpointed the source easily. Aaah, afraid to set off Hurricane Ellison. Banks thought, Wonder what Ellison’s pissed about today.  Banks went into his office and fixed himself a cup of coffee the sat down to work on his budget reports.

Jim was peripherally  aware of Simon’s entrance into the bullpen. He never looked up, but continued to type out his resignation. When he was done, Jim printed it out along with his paperwork on his current cases. Taking everything, Jim went to Simon’s door and knocked.  At Simon’s order, Jim entered.

Simon didn’t take Jim’s resignation well. Jim, unable to say much, just told Simon that his reasons were personal. Jim handed over his badge and gun, and said his goodbyes ignoring Simon’s attempts to find out what was wrong. Instead, Jim left the office. Blair immediately grabbed his pack and followed Jim out of the bullpen.

“Take care of yourself, Ellison.” Simon said from his door quietly so only the sentinel could hear.

Blair said nothing to Jim on the drive back.  At the Loft door, Jim sniffed the air and growled, “Naomi,” then entered. Nomi was waiting for them looking different from the last time Jim saw her.

“Oh, Blair, I am so sorry.” Naomi hugged her son.

“Mom, what are doing here?” Blair asked accepting the hug.

“Your father sent me.” Naomi answered.

“Why.”

"Oh Blair, I’m sorry. Your father told me tell you that he will only change his mind if you bring Jim in.”

“NO! That’s not fair!” Blair yelled turning away from his mother.

“Change his mind about what?” Jim asked.

“You haven’t told him?” Naomi asked.

“I told him everything but that. I was hoping father would change his mind.”

“What are holding back from me now, Chief.” Jim growled.

“Father said that he was going to sell you to the High Lord of the Third Kingdom.”

“And you were planning on telling me this when?”

“I asked father to reconsider. I was hoping he would change his mind.”

“Well apparently he did, just no the way you think.” Jim snarled.

Blair sighed, “Its your choice, Jim.”

“I refuse to just give up.”

Blair nodded.

“We’ll leave tonight for home, Blair. The Council spoke to your father and they want you returned to Aelfinnian to continue your training.”

“Training for what?” Jim asked.

“To be the next High King of the Sixth Kingdom.” Naomi answered.

“You are a prince?” Jim asked.

Blair nodded.  With a wordless snarl Jim went up to his room. He grabbed his duffel bag and came downstairs. Without a word, Jim left the loft.

“I’ll take care of the Loft, Jim!” Blair called to the leaving sentinel. There was no answer.

Blair made some calls. He had the mortgage payments continued to be paid, then had the electric turned off as well as the gas. He called movers, Aelves, to move everything to storage. When he was done, he packed up his belongings and left with his mother. In Blair’s Volvo, they drove to a large parking garage owned by Blair’s father. The guard was Aelf, and let them in without checking ID’s. They left the Volvo in the garage and Naomi opened the hidden gate that the garage was built around, and together mother and son entered Aelfinnian.

Blair made some calls. He had the mortgage payments continued to be paid, then had the electric turned off as well as the gas. He called movers, Aelves, to move everything to storage. When he was done, he packed up his belongings and left with his mother. In Blair’s Volvo, they drove to a large parking garage owned by Blair’s father. The guard was Aelf, and let them in without checking ID’s. They left the Volvo in the garage and Naomi opened the hidden gate that the garage was built around, and together mother and son entered Aelfinnian.

Blair went back to learning to be a prince. Hi father had allowed him to go to Earth to learn about humans which was why he studied anthropology. The Council, however, had put pressure on the High King to have Prince Blair returnt o Aelfinnian, hopefully with the sentinel in tow. Even though Blair returned without Jim, the Council still waited the promised week before sending a Hunter.

Blair spent the month in council sessions, Court proceedings, and listening to petitions. He helped his father with the paperwork and the account books and inwardly worried about his sentinel.

If you wish to end this here, this is the alternate ending--Beyond Law and Honor

At the end of the month, the Hunter, Isolde, was brought in by her fellow Hunters. She spent her two weeks of a healing coma at the Palace, while her replacement, Aislinn, continued the Hunt.

Blair worried that Jim wasn’t getting any rest or food. The Hunter sent weekly reports and from those reports Blair knew that Jim was still alive, and uncaught. Eventually, Aislinn returned in a Healing coma transported by her fellow Hunters.

Another Hunter, Rhiannon, was sent out. Jim had now beaten the record. No one, being fugitive or sentinel, had ever required more than two Hunters to be caught. Blair was scared now, wondering what condition Jim was in.

Jim knelt down beside the stream, senses alert to the surrounding area. He cupped his ahnd beneath the running wate and brought it to his mouth sipping the cool water, the first he’d had in awhile. Pale and gaunt, Jim knelt at the river wishing he could lay down and sleep. His clothes hung off his body, his eyes were sunken and hollow along with his cheekbones. Two months of little sleep, food that consisted of garbage, grubs, lizards, and insects. He’d abandoned the cities after the first week when the first Hunter had gotten too close and nearly trapped him. He was still sick from bad water, and bad food, and knew he was dehydrating.

But Jim knew that the third Hunter was close. Jim had glimpsed her a few times through the tree with the aid of his sentinel sight.

Jim removed a canteen from his belt filling it with water as he continuously glanced around. He was out of decontamination tablets and had no time to boil the water, so he knew he would have to make do.

A noise swung his attention off to his right. Piggybacking sight onto sound, Jim saw the Hunter lying prone in the bushes, a long range air rifle in her hands. (Ambush), Jim thought as he moved to stand and get out of range. Too late, however, when Jim felt the sting of a dart in his left buttock. He pulled the dart out immediately but only made it a few steps before he collapsed to the ground unconscious.

Rhiannon stood up and raced to the sentinel. She knelt beside him and turned him onto his back. She grimaced at the sentinel’s condition.

“You poor thing, you’re half starved and probably dehydrated.” Rhiannon said as she petted Jim’s head.

Quickly but carefully, Rhiannon picked up Jim in a fireman’s carry and marched to her campsite where she had a large ten man tent set up. A spell had hidden the camp from the sentinel. She took Jim inside the tent and laid him down on top of a rubber mat. Efficiently, she stripped the sentinel of his shoes and clothes, then used water warmed by a spell and a washcloth to bath the sentinel.

After she finished bathing the sentinel, Rhiannon dug into her pack and pulled out a silver metal band which she placed around Jim’s neck. When the two ends of the band met, they melded together seamlessly.

Opening up a special dark blue sleeping bag, Rhiannon rolled the sentinel into it then zipped it upaorund him. Brushing her fingers across his temple, Rhiannon stood up and dug through her pack. She brought out a long silvery metallic leash that attached itself  to the collar and the other end buried itself firmly into the ground preventing the sentinel from escaping.

Having noticed the sentinel’s condition, Rhiannon started her Coleman stove, and placed a saucepan on top of it. Using a can opener, Rhiannon opened three cans of canned milk, and two cans of vanilla Ensure which she poured into the saucepan. When the milky substance was warmed she poured the mixture into a 16 0z sterilized baby bottle and screwed the nippled lid onto the top.

Kneeling beside the sleeping sentinel, Rhiannon gently placed the nipple against the slack lips and waited.

She smiled as the sentinel’s innate instincts kicked in and Jim began to suckle on the plastic nipple. Sentinels found the motion of suckling to be soothing and had strong instincts when it came to suckling, instincts that could easily overcome any conditioning.  Instinctively his hand came up and began to kneed at the bottle and Rhiannon’s hand. The Hunter smiled at that knowing that it meant the sentinels were as strong as most.

Jim continued to suckle even when the milky substance was gone and Rhiannon removed the nipple from the sentinel’s mouth. His mouth continued to move for a few seconds still trying to suckle, but then stopped. The sentinel began to shift and make soft mewling noises in the back of his throat. Rhiannon refilled the bottle and replaced the nipple in Jim’s mouth knowing the noises meant that he was still hungry. The sentinel calmed almost immediately.

Jim only finished a little more than half of the second bottle his stomach full of the warm concoction. Rhiannon withdrew the bottle, capped it and replaced it in her backpack. She placed Jim’s arm back inside the sleeping bag, and then with pne last pet on the sentinel’s head, Rhiannon stood up and fixed her own dinner on the stove.

Jim opened his eyes slowly as consciousness returned. His muscles felt tired along with the rest of his body and it was an effort to awaken. Groaning softly, Jim tried to get up. A hand on his shoulders stopped him.

“Take it easy, “ A feminine voice said.

Jim eyes focused on the woman’s face and he recognized the Hunter who had ambushed him at the river. His eyes widened as he realized he had been caught.

“Take it easy, sentinel. Its alright.” She said in a soft voice. “You had a good run, but now its time to rest.”

At that moment Jim’s sense of touch found the collar and he panicked. He struggled wildly trying to get out of the sleeping bag. The hunter held him down easily all the while speaking in a low tone.

It wasn’t HIS guide’s voice, but it was a guide’s voice, and eventually it penetrated his panicked brain. Jim quit struggling and focused his eyes on the Hunter.

She smiled at him, “Good morning. I’m glad you’re awake. I was beginning to worry.”

“Why?” Jim asked his voice dry and hoarse.

She frowned at that and retrieved a water bottle and held it to Jim’s lips. The sentinel drank gratefully.

“Is that better?” She asked after he had taken several gulps.

He nodded.

“To answer your question, I was worried because the tranquilizer I used on you should have only knocked you out for a ferw hours. Instead, you slept for three days. Your body was low on energy from malnourishment, and dehydration.”

“Three days? Then why are we still here?”

“Because I thought it best if you were allowed to rest and gather your strength before I took you home.”

Jim growled softly at that. Home. To her, home was Aelfinnian. To Jim, it was a loft apartment in Cascade that he would no doubt never see again.

Rhiannon ignored the growl, “You led my sisters on a merry chase. Congratulations, by the way. You are the first target to ever elude two Hunters completely.”

Jim didn’t feel honored. In fact he felt…”I need to uhm.” Jim started to say feeling embarrassed.

Rhiannon smiled, “Its alright. No need to leave the sleeping bag. Its spelled to eliminate waste like sweat, feces, and urine.”

Jim ducked his head, disgusted at what she had said, but unable to do anything about it.  A couple of hours later Jim’s stomach began to growl at him,  and Rhiannon heard it. She set up the Coleman stove, and placed the saucepan on the top. Jim watched as she mixed the canned milk and ensure(chocolate this time)inside the saucepan.

When she poured it into the bottle, Jim protested. “I’m not a panther cub!”

“No you are not. But when we reach Aelfinnian you body will change. You will no longer be able to eat regular human foods, only what predators can eat. Because our people do not slaughter animals for food, it was discovered that we could feed our sentinels unicorn’s milk and it was enough to keep them healthy. The only raw meat sentinels ate were small birds or rodents that they hunted and caught at their homes.”

“Unicorn’s milk. You mean I am going to be on a liquid diet the rest of my life?”

“Yes, but unicorn’s milk is very healthy, and taste very good to sentinels or so I am told.”

“You don’t drink it?”

“No. Aelves cannot.” She tightened the nippled lid on the bottle. “Here.” She placed the nipple against Jim’s lips. The sentinel tried to push it away, but Rhiannon caught his hand and placed it back beneath the sleeping bag.

Jim growled, “Is this something else I am supposed to get used to.”

Rhiannon smiled, “Only when your sick, or when your master will feel like it, otherwise you’ll be fed by bowl.”

Jim groaned, but opened his mouth to take the nipple. He sucked the milky substance from the bottle. Rhiannon refilled it and Jim finished it off, then with a full stomach, he fell back to sleep ignoring Rhiannon’s hand that petted his short hair.

The spent four more days in the mountains. Rhiannon continued to make the ensure/milk concoctions for Jim to drink, and Jim slept most of the four days away. Eventually on the fourth day, some of his strength returned and Rhiannon felt that the he could manage the trip out of the mountains down to her Ford Excursion.

While Jim lay in the sleeping bag watching, Rhiannon loaded up her gear into her pack. To Jim the pack looked pretty heavy, but Rhiannon was an Aelf, much stronger than even a human male. When she was done packing everything but the sleeping bag Jim was in, she went over and unzipped the bag handing Jim a pair of jeans, sweatshirt, boxers, socks and hiking boots.

“Go ahead and put these on, and I’ll roll up the sleeping bag. She started to unzip the bag, but Jim became conscious of his nudity and tried to stop her. She shook her head, and pushed his hand away unzipping the bag the rest of the way.

"And who do you think undressed you?” Rhiannon asked as she completed unzipping the bag to allow Ellison to climb out.

Jim didn’t answer. He crawled out of the bag and stood, the leash giving him enough leeway for that, putting on the boxers quickly followed by the rest of his clothes. Rhiannon rolled up the sleeping bag and tied it to the top of her pack. She then easily placed the pack on her back, straps going over her shoulders. Then she walked over to Jim as he finished tying the shoelaces on his boots. She bent down and grasped the leash which easily came out of the ground at her tug. She wrapped the leash around her wrists where it melded into itself securely. Rhiannon nodded satisfied, and began walking. Jim had no choice but to follow her.

The hike out of the mountains took several hours. Rhiannon stopped several times to give the healing sentinel a break. She had several milk concoction filled bottles in her pack, and she gave one to Jim at their third stop. She also had a canteen of water which she gave the sentinel some of at every stop.

Finally, the trek out of the mountains was over as Rhiannon’s black Excursion came into view. It was parked at on of the parking areas just of the mountain road. There were other vehicles parked there and a family in their RV sitting at one of the picnic tables.

Jim was surprised that the people at the rest stop only gave he and Rhiannon a cursory glance. Rhiannon noticed his confusion and smiled.

“They don’t see you. I have spell wrapped around you and they only see what I want them to see.” Rhainnon explained.

“And what do they see?” Jim asked.

“Just a German Shepard.” Rhiannon answered.

Jim just grunted.

They walked over to her Excursion, and Rhiannon dug out her keys and opened the back. She placed her pack inside, then closed the back. She walked to the passenger area, and opened that door. She removed the leash from around her wrists, and placed against the ceiling of the vehicle where it melded into the frame. She motioned Jim to hop into the vehicle, which he did. Once he was inside, Rhiannon shut the door, and got in the driver’s seat.  She reached into the fanny pouch at her waist, and withdrew a bottle of the milky substance. She handed it back to the sentinel, then started the vehicle. Jim let the bottle lay on the seat beside him, and just slunked down in the seat arms crossed over his chest.

The drive back to Cascade was long and quiet. Rhiannon turned on the radio, but never spoke to Jim except to ask if he needed to go to the bathroom when she stopped for gas. Jim shook his head for an answer.

The second time she stopped for gas however, the sentinel was in need of a pit stop. Rhiannon removed the leash from the ceiling of the vehicle, and led Jim into the women’s bathroom outside the gas station. Since humans saw a woman and her dog, they would have found it curious to see her go into the men’s room.

It embarrassed Jim to have to pee with Rhiannon standing right behind him holding his leash. But he finished up quickly and Rhiannon took him back to the Excursion.

Eventually they reached Cascade.

Jim leaned against the door, his head pressed against the window as he watched his beloved city pass by. A light snow was falling and the skies were gray and overcast. Rhiannon drove the Excursion to a large parking garage where a security guard let them into the garage with only a nod.

Rhiannon parked the Excursion and turned off the ignition. She then stepped out of the vehicle. Another security guard walked up to her.

“Your sister received your message. They are waiting for you on the other side of the gate.” The security guard said.

Rhiannon nodded at him, then opened the passenger door. She reached up and removed the leash from the vehicle’s frame and motioned for Jim to exit the vehicle.

“Alrigh, Jim, I’m going to warn you before we go through the gate. Your power is going to ground itself to the earth once we cross over through the gate. This will cause you to change into your natural form. Don’t be alarmed. You’ll be able to shift back with some practice, but it will take a little time.”

“What do you mean my natural form?” Jim asked.

“Your ‘Finn form. You’ll see. I promise it won’t hurt. Come on then.” And with that Rhiannon walked over to where the security guard was opening the gate.

Jim looked at the gate. It was a doorway of light, but not overly bright. Rhiannon thanked the security guard then stepped into the light. Jim had no choice but to follow.

On the other side of the doorway, Jim felt what Rhiannon was talking about. A strange surge flowed through his body down toward his feet, and as it did his body felt strange.

The change was nearly instantaneous, and Jim was now no longer recognizable human.

Jim was now a large cat like creature about the size of a jaguar. He was covered in silky black fur, and had blue eyes. His front paws were long more like a raccoon’s than a cat’s, and made it easier form grasping objects. His tail ended in a black tuft like a lions. But what amazed Jim the most was the black feathery wings growing from hi powerful shoulders. To him it felt strange to open up the wings and flare the feathers.

The most aggravating thing was that he couldn’t speak. And the Aelves did not understand “Finn.

The strange silvery collar had stretched to accomadate Jim’s now larger neck, but it and the leash were still securely in place. Rhiannon held the other end and stood with two of her sister who held the reins of three unicorns.

Jim watched as Rhiannon and the others mounted the horses. Jim wondered if he was supposed to run alongside the beasts when Rhiannon maneuvered her unicorn beside Jim. She patted a large thick pad that was secured to the saddle and covered the unicorn’s rump.

“Up here, Jim.” Rhiannon said.

Jim eyed the pad, then leaped using his powerful hind legs. It felt strange to know how to move in the strange new body, but Jim wasn’t going to dwell on it. He landed on the pad and found that his claws easily secured him to the pad. Nodding in satisfaction, Rhiannon melded the other end of the leash to the saddle horn. It was long enough that even if Jim fell off the unicorn, he wouldn’t hang himself. The Aelves then spurred their unicorns into a quick smooth gallop. Jim held on and tried not to think about what would happen when they reached Blair’s home.

They rode for several hours at an incredible speed, but even at the ful gallop the gait was smooth and easy.

At the first stop, Rhiannon carefully explained to Jim how he could shapeshift back to human form. It required intense concentration, but once done, Jim didn’t have to concentrate to stay in his human form. He noticed, gratefully, that his clothes returned with his human body. Rhiannon explained that clothes and such were stored in the ley lines and returned when needed.

Theefor, when they started out again, Jim rode astride behind Arhiannon in human form, his hands gripping the saddleback.

They continued at a less hurried pace and Jim noticed the vast richness of the land around them. The road that they traveled on was paved with white stones. Rhiannon mentioned that stonemasons had built the roads and maintained them using their affinity with Earth and Rock magic to do so. Beyond the road on either side was a forest of trees that made sequoias look small. The few animals he glimpsed through the deep brush looked as if Tolkein, Jordan, and Piers Anthony had all gotten together to design them. What Jim had thought were just butterflies fluttering around the pink and purple flowered bushes were, he discovered by zoning his sight one them, fairies. A deep throated roar and a shadow passing over them had Jim looking up in time to see a green and yellow scaled dragon about the size of a horse fly over them. Rhainnon looked at the dragon, then turned to her sister and spoke to them in a strange tongue Jim had never heard before. One of the other Hunters answered her. They conversed for a few minutes in the, Jim guesses, Aelven language. Frustrated by hius lack of understanding, Jim ignored them and continued to scan their surroundings. Eventually, the forest begin to thin out until it gave way to pasture land. Jim saw Aelven herders out in the field of tall green and yellow stalks with unicorns and sheep-like creatures grazing. The sheep-like creatures had woolly bodies, but had six legs rather than four, and antlers like deer.

The pastureland went on for a few miles before the first town came into normal view.

None of the buildings were run down. That was the first thing Jim noticed about the Aelven town. The second was that every street was paved with the same white stone, and that they were kept clean. The Aelves living in the town that the wooden sign next to the road proudly proclaimed as Windsbrook all stared with open wonder at the three Hunters riding into their midst with one human.

(Or sentinel,) Jim thought. (The sight of unicorns and dragons are an everyday thing to the them, but a sentinel…)

Then Jim remembered what Blair had said. They still had a Day of Mourning for the loss of their beloved pets and sentinel, rare creatures that they were, were descendants of those pets. It disgusted him because he was the recipient of the looks of wonder, but understood their reaction and could not blame them.

Then Jim noticed a few earth cats in the town. Rhiannon noticed what he was looking at and said, “They were imported from Earth. There’s a heavy importation tax, and a limit on the number that can be brought over, but to some its worth it. They are also damn expensive to buy. They are not “Finns, but…” She trailed off.

They rode the rest of the way through the town in silence except when a little Aelven girl of about eight years ran up to the unicorns who were at a sedate walking pace and reached up to hand Rhiannon a cloth wrapped bundle. The little girl said something in the Aelven language, smiling. Rhainnon answered back also smiling. To Jim’s surprise, the girl patted Jim’s calf  then let the the unicorns outpace her. Several children quickly descended upon the girl chattering and laughing until they separated when parents called them by name.

Rhainnon, still smiling, unwrapped the cloth bundle. Jim didn’t pay attention to Rhiannon instead he was looking back at the children when a sweet delicious smell wafted to his nose. Curious, Jim looked at what Rhiannon had in her hand knowing the smell was coming from it. The object was square shaped, and a creamy white color.

Rhiannon broke off a piece.

“Here” she said turning in the saddle to place the piece against his lips.

Jim turned his head away, “What is it? I thought you said I couldn’t handle solid food.”

“This is the one and only sweet a sentinel can eat. Its made from unicorn’s milk and sugar and this little piece is all you can have in a day’s time. So here.”

Again she pressed it to his lips. Jim relented and opened his mouth. She placed it on his tongue.

Her hand on his wrist was the only thing that kept him from zoning on the incredible taste of the treat.It practically melted in his mouth, and the sensation nearly had him groaning. It was better than chocolate, Wonderburger, and even better than some sex he’d had.

“That could get addicting.” Jim said.

Rhiannon smiled, “Good thing unicorn milk isn’t sweet and is healthy.  Its just as good as the candy. “

Jim said nothing. He explored the taste of the candy that still lingered in his mouth. It was good, and he could separate the sugar taste from the other taste which he knew by process of elimination was the unicorn’s milk. Jim believed Rhiannon when she said unicorn milk was good, especially with the taste of it in his mouth.

“Its an old recipe. Very few Aelves know the secret of combining sugar with unicorns milk and cooking it into the candy. Too much sugar and the candy is too sweet for sentinels, not enough sugar and the candy doesn’t form.” Rhainnon continued conversationally.

They rode on for some time until the town was out of sight. The land began to get hilly and a bit rocky, and Jim could smell the scent of salt water on the air.

Eventually the land around them became sparsely dotted with grass most of the land taken up by huge boulders, and rocks that jutted out from the earth. The salty tang in the air became more heavy, and Jim knew an ocean to be near.

When they came to the top of a rocky hill and looked down over the other side Jim caught his first look of the capital city that was Blair’s home.

The city, called Whitespray, was a port town. Part of it butted up against the vast ocean and large ships sailed into the ports, or were docked at its rocky quay. The center of the city was taken up by a large magnificent palace built of gray stone with banners flying in the wind from atop its spiraled towers. A large gray stoned wall surrounded the palace, and beyond the wall the city lay sprawled. The rooftops of all the buildings were a deep sea green blue, and the structures were made of the same gray stone of the palace. Sea spray hung over the city like a mist, and gave a rainbow effect on the gray walls and blue roofs. It looked magical, like something from a storybook.

Within the walls were other buildings besides the Palace and Rhiannon gleefully pointed out the Temple of the Sisters of the Hunt who worshipped a minor deity, Artemis. Rhainnon pointed out the barracks of the soldiers, and the Temple of the High God, as well as the Council Building were the Council held their meetings.

Rhiannon took a deep breath, “Mmmm, smell that fresh sea air. Its good to be home.” She said then turned to her sisters and spoke in Aelvish. They nodded, then clucked their tongues to speed the pace of their unicorns. Rhiannon did the same and together they rode down the white stone paved road toward Whitespray, and Jim’s new life as a pet.

The road joined with several other roads all coming from different direction and widened so that three wagons could pass through side by side. And the road was no longer empty as they shared it with several wagons, and travelers on unicorn back or on their own two feet. A guard post stood at the entrance to Whitespray and a few Aelves dressed emaculately in blue uniforms with silver trim  stopped each of the travelers to ask them their business and inspect their wagons. They were polite, but firm in the performance of their duties. Like Blair, all Aelves were young looking and their pointed ears swept up the sides of their heads high. Some of the Aelves’ ears were so high that they topped their heads, but with their angelic faces, and long hair, it suited them. None of the male Aelves had a beard, which made them look even more young. And their average height for a male seemed to be five foot ten. Jim, in contrast, towered over them, but they were physically stronger than he was. It was a strange paradox.

The soldiers eventually got to the Hunters. They recognized them immediately.

“Rhiannon!” one of the soldiers said. A young man with golden colored locks. The name was the only thing Jim understood. The rest was spoken in Aelvish. Rhiannon spoke back grinning. While her sisters answered the guards’ questions as they wrote down on their ledgers the answers, Rhiannon spoke with the young soldier. Jim could smell the pheromones off the both of them, and knew them to be sweethearts if not lovers.

Eventually, they were waved on through after the guard gave them a thorough going over with his green eyed gaze. Rhiannon followed her sisters through the streets of the city. Jim ignored the stares they were getting from the citizens. Instead he studied the city as the went through amazed at the architecture and simplicity of the colors that still seemed to make the city shine. And it was clean. There was no smell of waste, or garbage or decayed food. Only the sweet smells of cooking food, fresh produce being sold at an open air market, the salty sea spray, and Aelves. Jim wondered not for the first time if they used magic to keep their towns and cities clean.

Rhiannon noticed that the sentinel was studying the city and wondering if he was hoping to try and escape. (He has no idea how futile that would be.) She thought.

”Rhiannon, Electra and I are going to head on over to the Temple. King Hart has already paid the Sisterhood the fee for returning the sentinel, and the Mother has already apologized to King Hart for the delay in returning his property. After you’ve handed him over, come on back and we’ll celebrate.” Isande said.

“Alright, sister. As long as your buying.” Rhiannon said.

Electra laughed at that.

They reached the gate of the Inner Wall, and the guards their recognized them and let them pass without challenge. Rhiannon frowned at that wondering if she should mention it to Curran, the Captain of the Guard. No one should go through the gates of the Inner Wall without being challenge, not even the Heir himself.  

It was past the gates that Electra and Isande parted from Rhiannon to ride over to the Temple of the Sisters of the Hunt. Rhiannon bid them a goodbye and guided her unicorn toward the Palace of the Running Wolf. She reached the main courtyard where a servant came out from the stables to take her unicorn. Rhiannon dismounted and unhooked the leash from the saddle. The sentinel slid down off the unicorn, and the servant guided the animal to the stables. Another servant, one wearing a light blue tunic with a running wolf stitched into the left breast, came forward to greet her. Rhiannon knew him to be one of the House Servants.

“Greetings, Hunter Rhiannon. Your presence has been anticipated. I am to take you to the King in his study at once. If you would please to follow me.” The Aelf said bowing a bit at the waist.

“Of course. Do lead on.” Rhiannon answered and followed the servant up the stairs to the Palace doors which were opened by the two guards standing before it. The sentinel followed at Rhiannon’s heels.

They entered the Palace into a long hallway with magnificent tapestries lining either side except where a door led to another room. The went down the hallway until it opened up into a ballroom where twin staircases climbed upwards to the second floor, then spiraled ones climbed up to the third, fourth and fifth floor. From the fifth floor the staircases were not visible, but the palace was a good twelve stories, and only eight of those stories were accessible by  visible stairs. The rest were only accessible by spell through a small gateway and hidden staircases that only the royal family knew the location of.

Banners hung from the inner balcony, and the floor was carpeted with a white magically stain resistant carpet. The servant led them to a door beneath one of the staircases that led into the large room that was the King’s study.

Inside the room, bookshelves line the walls except for the wall that was dominated by a stone fireplace. In the center of the room was a polished wood desk. Behind the desk was a man that Rhiannon knew was the King.

King Hart lifted his head at the servant’s entrance, and lifted an eyebrow when the Aelf announced Rhiannon.

Jim stared at the man behind the desk. He looked a remarkably like Blair with Blair’s chestnut curls, and blue eyes. But this man had a strong Roman nose where Blair had inherited Naomi’s nose. But the face was nearly the same, and Jim knew the Aelf to be Blair’s father.

The King stood and came around his desk. With a wave of his hand he dismissed the servant who bowed and left the study closing the door behind him. Rhiannon quickly knelt upon the carpeted floor leaving Jim enough slack so that he could remain standing. The King said something in the Aelvish tongue and Rhiannon rose. He spoke to her and she nodded, and answered.

“He’s in horrible condition. If I were to guess he’s lost up to fifty pounds.” King Hart said studying the sentinel. “Blair is going to freak when he sees him.”

“He looked even worse when I found him. He was dehydrated and sick form bad food and bad water. If I hadn’t caught him when I did, I don’t think he would have survived much longer. He was killing himself, slowly but surely.”

“I am glad that you took good care of him.” King Hart said then held out his hand. Rhiannon placed the leash in Hart’s hand.

Hart wrapped the leash around his hand until his knuckles rested against the silvery collar. The sentinel stared at him defiantly. Hart ignored the look and touch the collar with his other hand, closed his eyes and concentrated.

Jim felt his collar begin to get warm as Blair’s father touched it. Jim could see sweat beads popping out on the King’s forehead, and knew the man was concentrating hard on something. Finally, a few seconds later the King opened his eyes, removed his hand from the collar which returned to skin warmth.

For the first time the King spoke to Jim in English, “I just placed a spell on your collar. The spell will keep you from going beyond the boundaries I have set. For now the boundary is the Inner Wall. You may go anywhere you like within the Inner Wall. Should you attempt to hide in the Inner City, then my guards will find you and bring you back. When they do, the boundary will be reset to only be the Palace. Should such behavior continue, the boundary can easily be reset to only a room. That is the only kind of punishment you will ever receive. Should anyone hit you, or cuff you, then tell me or Blair or Naomi immediately and the culprit will be heavily punished. Should anyone attempt to steal you yell for help, someone will come. If you attack someone who isn’t stealing you or hurting you then you’ll be restricted at once to a room until I can have you shipped to Rhiaordan. You will not be sent to Rhiaordan until you are in better health. I suggest you eat when you are given food.”

Jim had crossed his arms over his chest when Hart first began to speak and placed an indifferent mask over his face. Inside, each word made him more afraid, and angry that he was afraid.

Hart turned his attention to Rhainnon and said something to her. Rhiannon nodded then turned and left the study.  Hart then unwrapped the leash giving Jim some slack and headed out of the study. Jim had no choice but to follow.

When they exited the stiudy, Jim ears caught the sound of a familiar heartbeat. He looked up and saw Blair standing with Naomi on the second floor balcony overlooking the main room. Hart looked up as well, and said something. Naomi nodded and grasped Blair’s shoulders leading her son away from the balcony and into a room. Hart then began to walk up the stairs with Jim at his heels.

On the second floor, Hart opened a door into a spacious room. A couch stood in the center with several rugs dotting the floor and tapestries hanging from the walls. Two doors on either side of the room lay open and Jim could see a bed through one of the open doors. A large window opened out to a balcony, and was obscured by heavy blue drapes.

Hart led Jim over to the couch and ordered him in a gentle but firm tone to lie down on it.

“You are still sick, I can tell from your aura. You’ve lost too much weight, and your undernourished. Right now you need to get some rest. I’ll have a healer come in while you sleep and take care of your illness. I suspect it’s a bacterial or viral infection in your bowels.” Hart touched Jim’s temple, and murmured something in Aelvish. Jim suddenly felt tired, and his eyelids closed shut as he fell into a spell induced sleep.

Hart petted Jim’s hair affectionately, then unhooked the leash from the silvery collar. With quick, but gentle motions, he stripped the sentinel of his clothes, then placed a handwoven blanket over his nude form. He left the room quietly closing the door behind him. Outside the room, Hart handed the clothes to the servant with instructions to burn them. The servant took the clothes, bowed and went downstairs. Hart headed to Blair’s room.

He went inside to find Blair on his couch in his sitting room with Naomi holding him as the boy cried. They both looked up at Hart’s entrance.  “Where is he?” Blair asked.

“In my room, on the couch. He’s asleep. I put him to sleep so he could rest. He’s not in good shape. Some kind of infection has made him sick. I suspect from drinking contaminated water or bad food. Naomi, love, would you mind calling a healer down here to have a look at him. Also, have one of the servants hire Brennan. I believe his skills will be needed.”

Naomi knew that Hart wanted to speak to Blair alone. The boy had disobeyed his father by not staying in his room while Hart dealt with the Hunter and the sentinel. She nodded, and stood. She went over to her husband and kissed him, then whispered. “Go easy on him, my love.” Then left the room.

“Are you alright, Blair?” Hart asked his son.

“I’m fine. I’m sorry I disobeyed you about staying in my room. I just had to see and make sure he was alright for myself.”

“I know this hard for you. I wish I hadn’t allowed you to go to Earth.”

“Don’t say that, father. Meeting Jim was the best thing that happened to me. I just wish I wasn’t an Aelf or that stupid law didn’t exist.”

Hart sat down next to his son and laid an arm around him, hugging him close. “Somehow it will all work out.” Hart murmured.

“Not with him across the World Sea. Please reconsider, Father?”

Hart shook his head, “I can’t, Blair. The bond between you is new and its best to break it now before it gets stronger.”

“Why?”

“Because in four months you are going to study at the Academy.”

“The Academy!”

“The Council wishes it. And I think it is for the best as well. You are the Heir. You’ll need the training the Academy gives.”

“And if Jim stays here, I won’t be here anyway. So either way the bond is broken.” The Academy was for ten years with only a few holiday breaks in which he would be allowed to go home.

“Why are you sending for Brennan?”

“Because I don’t have the time or training to take care of a sick, wild sentinel. Brennan is the best. He knows his job.”

Blair nodded.

“Come on, Blair. Your mother wants to take you into the city to buy some new clothes for the Academy. Which means she wants to spend time with you before you go.”

Blair scrubbed his face and stood nodding. “Alright.”

Outside Blair’s room, Hart and Blair started down the stairs when Naomi and Brennan walked into the foyer. They descended the staircase to greet their guest.

“Brennan, old friend!” Hart exclaimed gripping Brennan’s forearm in greeting. Brennan returned the gesture.

“Its good to see you again, Hart. The message said you needed me for a job. Those Hunters finally brought in Blair’s sentinel?”

“Yes, they did. And he’s not doing so good. He’s lost a lot of weight and he’s sick. I have a healer coming.”

“She’s already here, Husband. I had one of the servants take her to Jim.” Naomi said.

“That’s good, thank you, my love.” Hart said. “Have fun in the city. I will escort Brennan to the room.”

Naomi smiled, “Alright, come along Blair.”

Blair followed his mother.

Hart and Brennan headed up the stairs. “I placed a sleeping spell on him. He should sleep for another four hours.”

They walked into the room at the same time the Healer stood up from where she knelt beside the couch.

“Your Highness.” She said curtseying.

Hart waved at her to stand, “How is he?”

“You were correct in guessing a bacterial infection in the bowels. No doubt from drinking contaminated water. I took care of that. He also had stomach worms from eating raw meat, and that has been taken care of as well. He needs good food and plenty of rest and he will be fine.”

“Thank you. He will certainly get that.” Hart said handing her a pouch of coins. She refused the pouch spreading her hands and saying, “It was payment enough to have the honor of helping a sentinel.” She was telling the truth and Hart did not press the coins on her. She curtseyed then left.

Brennan walked over to the couch and knelt beside it placing a hand on Jim’s head fingers stroking the short brown hair.

“So beautiful, so young.” Brennan murmured. Brennan lifted Jim’s lips and looked at the sentinel’s teeth. “By the Light, he’s still practically a cub!”

“Not according to human standards.” Hart said.

Brennan dismissed that, “He’s not a human. He’s a sentinel. Now that he’s home, he’ll live out a sentinel’s full lifespan. So he is still a cub. You have to stop thinking of him as a human. He’s a sentinel. Now whether or not the law ever changes, sentinels are still sentinels. That will never change.”

Hart nodded. A sentinel’s lifespan was a little more than half an Aelf’s lifespan. Aelves could live to be a thousand years old. Hart was seven hundred years old. Aelves weren’t considered adults until they were fifty, and they couldn’t sire or bear children until they were at least two hundred years old.

“Just tell the servants what you need, Brennan. I have some work I need to do.”

“Of course. Its good to see you again.”

“Oh Brennan I forgot to tell you. When he is at full health, he’ll be sent to Rhiaordan.

“Rhiaiordan? Yes, that will be good. Rhiaodan knows sentinels.”

“Well he was taught by the best.” Brennan said with a smile.

“My father was the best. We both learned a lot from him, the Light rest his soul.”

Hart nodded then left the room.

Brennan talked to the servants and them fill up the bathtub and bring some of the soft herbal soap. When the tub was ready, Brennan carefully picked up the sleeping sentinel cradling Jim in his arms, and then carried him into the bathroom. He set Jim into the tub careful to keep the sentinel’s head above water. Using a cloth, Brennan soaped and cleansed Jim’s entire body. After he finished rinsing off the soap, he picked Jim up out of the tub and placed him on a thick soft towel on the floor and used another one to dry him off.

He then carried him back into the sitting room. One of the servants had used a spell to clean the couch and Brennan placed Jim back on it laying the sentinel on his side facing the front of the couch. Another servant brought three 16 oz bottled filled with unicorn’s milk. Brennan sat down on the couch and pulled Jim’s head into his lap. Brennan was facing Jim’s feet his legs crossed beneath him while Jim still lay on his side. Brennan placed the nipple of one of the bottles against Jim’s lips and instinct took over as Jim began to suckle on the bottle that Brennan held. While Jim sucked on the bottle, Brennan’s other hand caressed Jim’s head and he spoke in the Aelven tongue his tone soothing. When Jim finished the bottle, Brennan replaced it with another. Jim finished off all three of the bottles and when he was done, Brennan replaced Jim’s head back onto the couch. Brennan then seated himself on the plush chair beside the couch to wait for Jim to wake up from the sleeping spell.

Brennan reached into his coat and pulled out a sheaf of papers and began to study them as he waited.

Jim slowly opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. He immediately recognized the room Blair’s father had led him to. He also noticed that he was lying on the same couch unclothed. He lifted his head and looked around. The other occupant in the room noticed the movement and said something in the Aelven tongue. Jim looked at the blonde Aelf.

The Aelf smiled, but Jim just glared at him. The Aelf set down the sheaf of papers on a low table beside the chair and stood up.  Brennan walked over to the couch and Jim tensed visibly.

“Easy, Jim.” Brennan said. Jim only understood his name since Brennan was speaking in Aelven, but he understood the tone. Brennan was trying to be soothing, using the guide tone that he had only heard from Blair before he met other Aelves. Jim ignored the Aelf and looked around. He noticed the bottles filled with a milky cream colored substance sitting on the table, which made him aware that his stomach was pleasantly full. Jim was disgusted by the knowledge that he had been fed like a baby while he had slept.

Brennan reached out his hand as if to touch Jim. The sentinel shrank back his blue eyes filled with fire promising violence. Brennan dropped his hand at his side and smiled shaking his head a bit. “Alright, I won’t touch you now, but eventually you will have to get used to it.” Brennan said in Alevish his tone soothing like before.

When Brennan had dropped his hand, Jim had relaxed somewhat, but he still watched the Aelf like a hawk.  Brennan moved out of Jim’s line of sight behind the couch. When he returned he had a pair of deep saphirre blue shorts in his hand. He handed them to Jim.

The sentinel looked at Brennan, then snatched the shorts from Brennan’s hand. In English Brennan said, “This is the only time I will speak to you like this. Those shorts are like the sleeping back Rhiannon used. The spell upon them will eliminate waste and urine.”

Jim nearly threw the shorts away in anger, but instead dropped them on the ground. The shorts were going to act like diaper and Jim refused to wear such a thing. He would rather go nude then wear what was essentially a diaper.

Brennan said nothing, nor did he attempt to pick up the shorts. Instead he turned and went back to where he had been sitting. Jim laid back down on the couch ignoring the shorts that lay on the floor. He absently rubbed at his neck beneath the collar annoyed at wearing the thing,  angry at his inability to remove it.

About an hour later, Brennan stirred and Jim opened his eyes, his body on alert. He watched as the Aelf stood up and walked over to the couch. He shrank back when Brennan leaned down and picked up the discarded shorts. He flinched back when Brennan made as if to touch Jim.

Jim growled softly warning Brennan not to touch him, but Brennan ignored the warning. He grasped Jim’s arm lightly, and the sentinel pulled his arm out of Brennan’s grasp, but made no move to strike the Aelf.  Brennan frowned, then spoke in the soothing guide tone, but Jim refused to listen, and tried to scramble off the couch. Brennan laid a hand on Jim’s head and murmured the spell. Jim began to feel sleepy, and not more than a few seconds later was in a spelled sleep. Brennan shook his head. He hated using the spell. The spell did no harm to the sentinel and was in fact part of the training. A sentinel learned quickly to let Aelves do what they want or be put to sleep and it happen anyway.

With deliberate movements, Brennan placed the shorts on the sleeping sentinel.  Then he sat down on the couch and pulled Jim’ upper body into his lap. With one hand he petted the sentinel’s short hair all the while whispering in a soothing tone.

The spell was only for a few minutes, and Jim woke within five minutes. He found himself in the Aelf’s lap, a hand petting his head. Jim tried to struggle out of the Aelf’s grasp only to be placed in a sleeping spell once again. It took four more times, but finally Jim woke up and did not struggle. Instead he lay there as Brennan petted him for several hours. Though his body responded to the petting by relaxing, his muscles and body completely relaxed, Jim still hated it. When Brennan was done, he retrieved one of the bottles of unicorn’s milk and held the nipple to Jim’s lips. Jim turned his head away only to hear the beginnings of a murmured spell that he was getting to know really well. When he woke, the nipple was in his mouth and the taste of unicorn’s milk was on his tongue. His body had again betrayed him by suckling on the bottle in his sleep. An instinctive response that he didn’t like at all.

Rather than be put back to sleep, however, Jim continued to suckle on the bottle. He had to admit that unicorn’s milk tasted good but he would rather have lapped it from a damn bowl than have to suckle on a bottle like a baby. Jim was finding out rather quickly what little choices he had in what happened to him.

When he finished the bottle, Brennan replaced it with another, but Jim was full, and didn’t want it. Brennan did not press the second bottle on him, and instead placed it back on the table and returned to petting Jim. Eventually the combination of a full stomach, and relaxed muscles had Jim drifting off into a real sleep.

Brennan smiled when he heard Jim’s soft snores indicating that the sentinel was asleep. Carefully, Brennan picked up the sentinel and carried him into the bedroom. He laid Jim on the foot of the bed, and with one last pat, he left the room.

A servant showed Brennan to his room, and Hart visited him for a few minutes asking about progress.

“Some, “ Brennan said. “we’ll see if it lasts tomorrow.”

Hart nodded and retired to his bed with his wife Naomi who had returned with Blair a few hours before. The sun had gone down and the three moons were out along with the stars. The lamps in the city were lit, the spell that ignited them when the sun set was centuries old but still worked. A few ships could be seen in the bay, their mast lights showing their location. The lighthouse flashed by the large window in Hart’s room illuminating everything in the sitting room briefly at intervals. When Hart entered his bedroom he saw Naomi looking at the sleeping sentinel at the foot of their bed rather dubiously. Hart smiled, his heart going out to his wife. She had met Jim a time or two when she had visited Blair, and knew this to be a bit difficult for her. Not as difficult as it was for Blair or even Jim, but enough to make her wary to sleep in her own bed.

“Its alright, Naomi.” Hart said laying his hands on his wife’s shoulders.

“Its so strange. And sad. I wish the council had changed their minds.” Naomi said as she climbed into her bed. The sentinel shifted and opened his eyes for a few seconds, but then closed them again falling back to sleep. Hart joined her in the bed.

“Hopefully everything will work out in time.” Hart said.

Naomi nodded and with one last look at the sleeping sentinel, she laid back down on her own pillow and fell to sleep, her husband’s arm wrapped around her waist.

The next day Jim woke up when the bed beneath him moved as Blair’s parents got up and readied themselves for the day. Jim ignored them and closed his eyes as if to go back to sleep only to reopen them when Brennan walked in. The Aelf was greeted by Blair’s father. The two exchanged their names in the greeting and Jim caught that.  Now he knew the name of his tormentor. Naomi left the room saying that she and Blair were going into the city. Hart left as well needing to get some work done in his study. They left Brennan with Jim.

When Hart and Naomi left, Jim closed his eyes trying to go back to sleep. He opened his eyes with alarm when he felt Brennan pick him up. Brennan carried him into the bathroom where a servant had filled the tub. At the sight of the tub Jim struggled, and growled when he heard the familiar spell spoken from Brennan’s lips. When he awoke only a few minutes later he was sitting in the tub, the shorts having been discarded, with Brennan using a soapy washcloth to clean him. Jim struggled again trying to get out of the tub, and again the spell was used. When he woke up the second time not more than a minute or two later, Jim didn’t struggle resigned to the fact that he was going to be bathed.

When Brennan had finished bathing Jim’s entire body, he lifted the sentinel out of the tub, and dried him off. He replaced the shorts with a pair of emerald green ones, and carried Jim into the sitting room and laid him on the couch. A servant brought in a tray with three bottles full of unicorn’s milk. Jim didn’t fight when he was pulled into Brennan’s lap and the nipple placed against his lips. Jim took the nipple in his mouth and drank the unicorn’s milk while Brennan held the bottle with one hand and petted his head with the other.

Jim drank all three bottles.

“Good,” Brennan praised, “You are starting to gain your weight back. In the next few days you’ll need some exercise so that you can regain your muscle mass.” He spoke in Aelven, therefore Jim understood none of it. He continued to pet the sentinel until Jim fell back to his sleep, his body still healing from his three months of flight.

The next few days were like the first. Jim slept on the bed at night, was bathed and fed in the mornings by Brennan. Though it took awhile, Jim finally got used to the shorts, embarrassed though he was by the very thought. During the day he slept mostly in Brennan’s lap with Brennan’s hand moving over his head, neck and shoulders in a petting motion. Each time he began to get hungry, a bottle of unicorn’s milk was given to him by Brennan, and when he was done he usually either slept or just rested trying o ignore the Aelf. As the days past, Jim began to sleep less, and was becoming more active. Finally on the fifth day, after Brennan bathed and fed Jim that morning, he attached a leash to Jim collar. Jim followed rather placidly as Brennan led him out of the room and down the stairs. When they entered the foyer, Jim noticed that Blair, Naomi and Hart were seated in the chairs. Blair was at a desk where he was studying some manuscripts, and Hart was leaned over him pointing out things in the books. They looked up when Brennan came in. Blair’s face tuned white, and he ducked his head at the sight of Jim. For his part the sentinel only glared at Blair, then ignored him entirely.

"We are going for a walk, Hart. He needs the exercise.” Brennan said.

Hart nodded, “Whatever you think is best Brennan.”

Brennan left the foyer with Jim at his heels. They stepped outside of the manor into the courtyard. Jim blinked and squinted at the bright sun until his eyes adjusted to the light. Brennan gave Jim a few seconds to adjust, then began to walk across the courtyard. Jim followed ignoring the other Aleves that moved about the courtyard. Brennan took Jim around the back of the manor to the large garden. The garden was rather beautiful, the flowers were in full bloom giving the garden some color.  Trees provided shade, and a pond with a stream and a fountain added to the scenery. They walked through the garden, Jim following Brennan at his heels. The garden had a path through it and several Aelves were walking the path. The garden was as big as a good sized park, and the other Aelves who were not servants tending the garden were either lovers or sweethearts from the way they held hands or children playing in the garden. Each and everyone however stopped to look at the sentinel and smile in a rather sad way that Jim was beginning to recognize. He was a sentinel, a reminder of their failure to protect their beloved pets, and what was essentially left of their beloved pets. Jim hated that smile with a passion.

Eventually, Jim began to tire, and Brennan noticed it, and sat down on one of the benches. Jim sat down in the soft grass to rest, and catch his breath. He was angry that he was out of shape but knew why he was. Jim figured as soon a he was healed and back in shape he could make his escape. There was always a way to escape, he just had to find it.

When Brennan felt that Jim had rested enough he stood up and headed back to the palace. Once inside the room, he unleashed Jim, then he bathed him again. After the bath, Jim was given three more bottles of unicorn’s milk and slept again with his head in Brennan’s lap, with the Aelf’s hand caressing his head.  Then night would fall, and Brennan would pick up Jim and place him on the bed, then he would leave the room.

After that each day Brennan would take Jim for a walk in the garden and each day they were able to go further before Jim tired out. During the ten days, Brennan was trying to teach Jim some basic commands in Aelven, but Jim refused to learn. He knew the commands but acted as if he didn’t and just flat out refused to obey. One command that Brennan never used and never would was the command for Jim to change his shape. To Aelves it was against their code of honor to order a sentinel to shapeshift. That was not to say that they never forced the shifting. A simple spell was used to transform a sentinel to his original form and back to human form should the need arise.

Brennan and Hart stood in front of the couch looking down at the sentinel who lay on his side watching them suspiciously. The Healer was there with them. Her talents would be needed.

“Is everything ready?” Brennan asked his friend who looked as if he had been pulled through the ringer. Which essentially had been correct. Blair had spent all morning trying to convince his father not to do this. Hart had explained to his son why it was the law, and why it was necessary. The last thing they needed was for the sentinel to hurt himself. And if they didn’t do what was necessary eventually he would.

“Yes. I’ll spell him. No need for you to do it, Brennan.” Hart said as he moved forward.

Brennan nodded and watched his charge carefully as Hart reached out to touch Jim’s head. Jim did not fight the touch nor did he flinch back. Brennan smiled to himself at that. The sentinel was still angry and suspicious, but he had learned his lesson.

The spell Hart cast was not the sleep spell, Jim knew that one by heart even if he didn’t understand what Brennan was saying. This one did not put him to sleep, instead he felt the power within him rise up and suddenly he was in the winged jaguar form. Jim snarled in shock, and reached out and batted Hart’s hand away from him luckily with his claws sheathed. Hart took a step back. He knew that Jim was disoriented and was not surprised by the attack. He gave Jim room and time to get used to being in the cat form.  Brennan stepped forward and checked Hart’s hand for any damage. “I’m fine my friend. His claws were sheathed.”

Brennan looked at Jim and said, “By the Gods he is beautiful.”

Hart nodded in agreement. A pure black furred sentinel with not a hint of white anywhere was rare. “He is.” They waited the rest of the time in silence.

Within a few minutes, Jim had calmed down. His tail still lashed but he seemed more aware of what was going on. The Healer stepped forward her supplies in hand. She knelt down, and Jim watched her warily. She reached out and murmured the sleep spell, and Jim closed his eyes and drifted off into a sleep that would last a few hours.  The Healer then reached into her bag and Brennan moved to his assist. Carefully, Brennan opened Jim’s right wing careful not to damage the feathers. The healer took out the clippers and with deliberate and quick movements she clipped Jim’s wing making the wing flightless. With a murmured spell she made it where it would not grow back.  When she was done, Brennan refolded the wing, then he opened the left one and the healer repeated the procedure. Now Jim had been rendered flightless for his own good. When they had first gotten sentinels back from Earth they had died trying to fly. To learn something that only a parent could teach, and there were no ‘Finns alive to teach them.  The Aelves had figured it was better to rend the sentinels flightless rather than watch them kill themselves trying to learn to fly. Brennan refolded the wing back against Jim’s side, and with a last pat to the sentinel’s head, Brennan straightened up and politely escorted the Healer out of the Palace talking with her as they went.

Hart did not move when Blair came into the room. He knew his son was going to come in to check on his sentinel.

“He’s alright, isn’t he?” Blair asked.

“He’s fine. I doubt he’ll notice.” Hart said.

“You underestimate him. He’ll feel it. I’m sure. Please explain to him, Father. Or at least let me.”  Blair pleaded.

Hart looked at his son, “Alright.”

When Jim awoke from his enforced nap the first thing he was aware of was the familiar beating of a heart. He opened his eyes realizing he was back in his human form, and followed his ear with his eyes to the sight of Blair standing on the balcony his back to the room. A wind that smelled of salt and fish blew Blair’s dark blue cloak and his long curly hair. Blair seemed not to take much notice of the wind that whipped his hair and cloak, and seemed intent on studying the harbor where ships sailed into port or out into the open sea.

Jim watched him for a few moments, noticing the slumpness of his shoulders, and the weary stance. His heart went out to his guide, and at that moment Jim Ellison forgave his friend.

“Blair, “ Jim said.

The Aelven prince turned to look at Jim with his bright blue eyes, unshed tears making them even brighter than normal. “I must have not been watching the time closely.” Blair murmured but Jim heard him. “How are you doing?”

“Fine, I guess.” Jim answered, then looked at Blair more closely, “What happened?”

“Father had you rendered flightless.” Blair said all in a rush.

“Why?” Jim asked shocked.

“It was necessary. I fought against it, but I think my protest were falling on deaf ears. Earlier sentinels died trying to fly. There was no one who could teach them. It used to be an instinct in ‘Finns, but we discovered much too late that the instinct to fly wasn’t present in sentinels. Several died leaping from battlements in an attempt to fly. To feel some kind of freedom.” Blair said the last sadly and turned his gaze from Jim’s.

Jim stood up and walked over to Blair, “Its alright Blair.” He said as he placed his hand on Blair’s shoulder. The guide looked up at Jim and saw the forgiveness in the icy blue eye, and his own eyes shed the tears that had welled up. “I forgive you, Blair. Its not your fault.”

At that the torrent released and the two embraced while tears fell silently between them.

Later, when their tears and emotions were drained they sat down and talked about inconsequential things, not once mentioning sentinels, ‘Finns, or Aelves. At the end Blair told Jim that he had taken care of the Loft, and Jim’s truck. Jim nodded and thanked Blair.

At that moment, Hart entered, and in Aleven he told Blair to go to his room. Blair saw Brennan behind him along with two servants carrying a large wooden trunk. His heart suddenly in his throat, Blair knew what the presence of the trunk meant. He turned and looked at Jim, but said nothing as he laid his hand on Jim’s bare shoulder giving it a tight comforting squeeze. Jim looked at Blair and knew something was wrong, but didn’t know what. Blair stood, looked at Jim for a long moment, then fled the room as if jackals nipped at his heels. Jim had seen the sad tears filling the bright blue eyes before Blair had left.

Jim turned his attention to Hart and Brennan wondering what was going on.

“The timetable has been moved up.” Hart said in English. The two servants sat the wooden trunk on the ground. Jim looked at it and saw that the top was not solid but a mesh screen with a padlock. He realized what Hart meant.

Brennan took a blanket from the back of the chair, and moved forward. Jim stared at Brennan deciding wether or not to fight. Instead, he did nothing as Brennan wrapped Jim in the blanket and picked him up easily. Hart unlocked the screen mesh door to the trunk, and Brennan carefully laid Jim in the bottom of it still wrapped in the blanket. Before Hart shut the lid, Brennan placed two bottles in the trunk with him, one filled with unicorn’s milk, the other held fresh water.

Hart shut and locked the lid. Jim moved around and found that the trunk was not too confining for him. He felt it being picked up and moved. He could see through the mesh the faces of the Aelves who carried the trunk out of the room and down the stairs.

The servants carried the trunk out of the palace with a pair of blue eyes watching from the balcony of the staircase defying his father’s orders.

They carried the trunk to a waiting carriage and loaded it up. Brennan stepped into the carriage and bid his friend goodbye. The carriage took off toward the harbor and a waiting ship.  Rhiaordian had sent a missive saying that he would like the sentinel a week early since he had important business to tend to off the island in a few weeks. After a discussion with Brennan, they both decided that the sentinel was healthy enough for travel. The saddest part was watching Blair’s face as they brought in the trunk. Hart hoped that someday his son would forgive him.

The voyage was uneventful. Blair had told Hart about Jim’s fear of open water, and Brennan felt it would be best to keep the sentinel under s sleep spell through most of the trip. On the ship, he had taken Jim out of the chest and placed him on bunk attached to the ship wall in Brennan’s cabin. He had then placed the sleeping spell on the sentinel.

During the voyage, Brennan kept the sleeping sentinel well fed and clean. The be-spelled shorts took care of urine and feces.  When land came in sight, Brennan woke the sentinel and brought him on deck to give him some exercise. The voyage had only taken three days.

Jim stood on the deck with Brennan directly behind him one hand holding the silvery leash attached to his collar. He stared out toward the large island that was to be his new home. The island looked rough and harsh, rocky with high cliffs overlooking the sea that beat against sharp rocks and caused sea spray to shoot as high as forty feet. Only one place held a harbor, and the area around looked as if it had been built into the side of a cliff. Atop the highest crag stood a gray stoned castle with towers and a massive wall. Below the castle built into the crag itself was a city of stone. Below the city on the only green pastureland was a small village with Aelves herding small beast that looked like goats with bluish colored wool, and tusks rather than horns. The ship, Wave Dancer, pulled into port within a few hours of sighting land. After the ship anchored, Aelves began offloading the cargo that was in the hold using hoists, and magic. Two Aelves brought the chest. Jim didn’t want to go back into the chest and struggled a bit, but Brennan just placed the sleeping spell on him and gently into the chest wrapping a blanket around him to ward off the islands cold air.  The Aelves picked up the box and walked down the plank to the dock with Brennan following closely. A closed carriage awaited their arrival.

A footman opened the door to the carriage, and Brennan knelt as King Rhiaordian stepped out. The Aelves who had been carrying the chest gently lowered it to the ground and knelt as well. King Rhiaodian stepped forward seemingly ignoring the kneeling men to open the top of the chest and pull back a corner of the blanket to reveal the sleeping sentinel’s face. Rhiaordian smiled a gentle smile as one would when seeing a baby sleep. He reached in with one hand to lightly pet the side of Jim’s face and smiled even bigger when Jim instinctively leaned into the touch.  Reaching in with both hands he lifted Jim out of the chest and cradled him in his arms, Jim’s cheek resting against his chest. Only then did he look at the kneeling Aelves. “you may rise.” Rhiaordian said and the three did so. Rhiaordian dismissed the servants, then looked at Brennan. “How is he?” Rhiaordian asked.

“Well behaved so far. A little trouble at docking. Didn’t want to go into the chest. Which is why he is asleep right now. He’s also got a fear of deep water. As long as land is in sight he’s fine, but…” Brennan let the implication lie. “He knows the commands but refuses to follow them. Doesn’t fight us much, and takes to the bottle fine.”

“Good. You’ve done an excellent job, I’m sure. How’s Blair?”

“Sad. Upset.”

Rhiaordian sighed, “I told Hart that this was a bad idea, but he insisted. He should have kept him. Oh well, what’s done is done. Who knows what the future hold, eh. Its good to see you again Brennan. I can offer you a bed.”

Brennan shook his head, “I need to get back, Rhiaordian. Too much to do back home and not enough time to do it. Take care of him will ya. He’s pretty special.”

Rhiaordian nodded and bid his friend goodbye. He watched Brennan board the ship again, then turned toward his carriage. He placed Jim on the cushioned seat and then got in seating himself on the seat, and pulled Jim’s head into his lap. The footman closed the door and the carriage took off up the magic built rode that lead to Castle Skyrock.

When Jim opened his eyes the first thing he saw was a pair of green eyes staring back at him. Expanding his vision, Jim saw that the pair of eyes belonged to the face of a young man with blonde hair that fell over his face. The young man was grinning at Jim, and Jim noticed immediately that the kid was a sentinel by the collar around the boy’s neck.

“hi.” The boy said happily.

Jim only grunted in reply.

“I’m Nathaniel, but they call me Nate.” The boy continued.

“Jim,” was all Ellison said. Jim looked around, “Where am I.”

“In our Master’s home.” Another voice said and Jim turned around to see a man who appeared to be around Simon’s age, maybe older enter the room. Jim noticed the collar around the older man’s neck indicating he was a sentinel as well.  “Welcome, Jim, I am glad to see you are awake.”

“Who are you?” Jim asked.

“My name is Gabriel.” The sentinel said with a patient smile on his face.

“How many sentinels are living here?” Jim asked.

“Counting you there are four of us. Nathaniel here is the youngest, with Lizzy being the oldest.”

“Lizzy?” Jim queried.

Suddenly from behind Gabriel a large golden colored cat with golden brown wings and gray streaks throughout her muzzle entered the room. Jim’s eyes widened at the size of the sentinel. She was easily twice the size of a full-grown male lion. She looked at Jim with hazel eyes set in the feline face. I am Elizabeth, called Lizzy. An old voice echoed in Jim’s head, and he knew that the voice came from the lioness like sentinel.

Jim couldn’t get over her size. It was rather intimidating.  He was no where near as big in his own cat form.

That’s because you are still a cub. Lizzy said in his mind.

“You can read my mind? And what do you mean still a cub. I’m not a kid.”

I cannot read your mind, Jim. Your thoughts were reflected on your face. Lizzy answered with an amused tone. As for the other…according to everything I know about our kind you are still a cub. Not even half grown at that.

“I don’t understand.” Jim said.

Lizzy looked at Gabriel.

Gabriel took the hint and said, “On Earth a sentinel lived the normal lifespan of a human. When you were brought here your power grounded itself to this world, and you began to age as a sentinel. Our kind here live to be about four hundred years old, give or take a decade. Now that you are here you will age slowly. You human form will not change at all for at least another hundred years possibly more. I myself am two hundred and seventy three years old. Nathaniel is thirty-four years old. Lizzy is three hundred forty six years old. “

Jim’s eyes widened at that, then a thought occurred to him, “How long do Aelves live?”

“Nearly double our lifespan.” Gabriel answered.

“Oh man.”  Jim groaned.

All conversation ceased however when another door opened and Rhaiordian stepped through.  Jim had never seen this particular Aelf, but from the way that Nathaniel bounded over to greet him and receive a pat on the head or the dignified greeting from the two older sentinels, Jim knew him to be the ‘Master’.

“And how are we getting along?” Rhiaordian said in Aelven as he walked over to where Jim lay on a couch with Nathaniel at his heels. Jim watched him unable to understand the Aelf’s words.

When he reached out his hand to pet Jim, the sentinel shrank back and growled a warning much to the surprise of the others. Rhiaordian just laughed and dropped his hand to his side, “So fierce. Don’t worry my fine sentinel, I won’t touch you right now. If that’s the way you want it, then it will do.” Rhaiordian then petted each of the others. Jim watched as Gabriel and Nathaniel both changed shape. Gabriel was larger than even Lizzy, and was yellow with black spots like a cheetah or leaopard but heavily built like a tiger.  Nathaniel was smaller than Jim in his form, and was white with black spots like a snow leopard. He was lean, not heavy but Jim could tell that as Nathaniel got bigger he would also be heavily muscled like Gabriel.

Gabriel patiently allowed Nathaniel to wrestle with him. Nathaniel pounced on Gabriel’s tail and worried at Gabriel’s scruff and ears like a cub. Rhiaordian laughed at Nathaniel’s antics as he sat in his chair with Lizzy sitting on her haunches beside him. Jim had watched the old sentinel move with slowness and care as if her muscles and bones ached.  Recalling her age, Jim knew that he probably wasn’t far wrong. Rhaiordian absently petted the big lioness while he watched Nathaniel and Gabriel. Jim knew also that the Aelf was periphially watching Jim.  Jim on the other hand ignored the Aelf, instead content to just lie on the couch and close his eyes hoping to fall asleep so that he could escape this strange world.

Blair sat easily in the leather saddle on the gray unicorn staring out toward the rolling waves splashing against the sandy beach with its sparkling white sand.

The unicorn bobbed its head impatiently eager to run, and Blair patted its neck soothingly. A sharp neigh had Blair tuning in his saddle to see three more unicorns with rider heading toward him.

Blair grinned when he recognized the riders.

The riders pulled their unicorns to a halt beside Blair. The three Aelves, all about Blair's age smiled at the young Prince.

"Hey, Blair. Genevieve said you'd be down here." The tall lanky Aelf with long golden hair riding a bay colored unicorn stallion said.

"Yeah, needed to get out of the city for awhile, Rowan." Blair answered.

"I know what you mean, Blair,” the red haired Aelf riding the white unicorn mare said. "Sometimes that city can get kind of stuffy.

"You just try get away from you dad before he puts you to work, Griffon." The dark haired Aelf riding the red roan mare teased.

"Hey if you had to o over dusty old stud books and account ledgers you'd hide too, Dirk."

Dirk laughed and the others joined him. "And you think I don't. When I take control over my father’s estates I'm hiring a competent accountant, let me tell you."

"Which means you can't hire Rowan." Griffon said laughingly.

The offended boy reaches over and slaps Griffon in the back of the head good-naturedly.

"Oh yeah, well just for that the last one across the beach has to brush the others' unicorn down when we get back." griffon said.

"You're on!" Rowan shouted and nudged his unicorn into a full gallop. The others followed racing across the sandy beach.

Blair's gray stallion, a fine animal with an excellent lineage, was the first across the beach. The stallion had a fine sheen of sweat over its flanks, but was not winded by the two miles it ran. Griffon's mare was second with Rowan's stallion at its haunches. Dirk was the loser by a half a length.

"Damn!" Dirk said as he pulled his mare to a halt. "I shouldn't have rode Lady here. Now Dancer's fire would have given you guys some competition."

"Yeah right. Dancer's Fire only won second at last years festival race. As I recall the winner was the King's stallion, Stone Singer." Griffon said.

Blair patted his stallion's neck, "Yep Stone Wave here's sire."

"So Blair, how did you little talk with the Council go? I just got back form my father's estates in the south." Rowan asked as they rode at a walking pace back tot he city.  

"Not good," Blair answered his face suddenly dropping into sadness. Griffon and Dirk glared at Rowan.

"Ah shit, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get you upset." Rowan said.

"Its alright, Rowan. It’s not your fault. They didn't accept my proposal. They sent some hunters and brought him back. Father sold him to Rhiaordian."

"Rhiaordian isn't that the father of..." The others hushed up Rowan rather quickly, but too late.

"Yeah he is. I try not to think about it, but its hard not to."

The rode in silence for a few more lengths.

"Not all is lost, Blair." Griffon said suddenly.

"How so?" Blair asked.

"Well, when you come of age maybe you can buy him back." Griffon said.

"You don't know a lot about Sentinels do you Grif?" Rowan said.

"What?"

"Sentinels bond to the Aelves that own them. It’s how they survive and control their senses. Eventually Rhiaordian will bond with the Sentinel or have one of his kids bond with him." Then it occurred to them what Rowan was saying.

"You don't think...." Griffon couldn't finish the sentence.

Blair turned white at the thought, "God I hope not. I don't think I could handle that."

They were silent for a few moments as they thought about what they had been saying. "Oh man," Blair said breaking the silence. "If Rhiaordian allows Maeve to bond with Jim...oh man that, that's just too weird."

"Yep especially, since Maeve is you’re betrothed." Rowan said.

Blair looked at Rowan. "Oh Gods and Goddesses I am sooo glad that the wedding isn't for years."

"Well one good thing at least. When you become King, you can appoint whoever you want to the Council." Griffon said.

"And risk offending over half of the most powerful Noble houses. You must be joking." Blair shook his head, "I can't risk offending them."

"Sure you can. Most of the Council members are old and need to retire. You can replace them with members of their own family. Younger members willing to change old laws for the betterment of our society." Dirk said

"Yeah, but I won't be King for at least two hundred more years. Maybe even longer." Blair said.

"True, but at least the law will be changed. It will save future generations of Sentinels." Dirk answered.

"And just who pray tell am I supposed to appoint to the Council," Blair asked with a grin looking at his three friends whose Great grandfather were all on the Council.

"Oh I don't know." Griffon said smiling back. "Maybe Aaron?"

Aaron was the son of the stablemaster of Griffon's father's estate.

"Oh yeah, I can see it now. Talk about a controversial appointment. That would be talked about for a thousand years." Blair said.

They rode up to the gates of the city. The guards stopped them and identified them, bowing to their prince when he was properly identified. "Let's go over the Green Stag. I could use a drink." Griffon said. The other looked at him as if he had lost his mind.

"What, just because we are under age..." Griffon laughed. "Okay, okay, no drinks."

"Besides doesn't Dirk have a previous engagement?” Rowan said looking at the Aelf.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Loser brushes down the winner's animals. Fine. Let's go to my Father's stables." Dirk said, and the others nudged their unicorns to follow the young Aelf.

Dirk's father, an Aelven Nobleman whose main profits came from his estates in the East had a townhouse in the city, as did most of the Nobleman. The townhouse had its own courtyard, and stables. The four young Aelves entered the courtyard through the gate and headed toward the stables. Despite Dirk's loss, the others helped take care of all the unicorns, and got them stabled. Dirk invited them into the house knowing his father wouldn't mind. In fact Dirk's father was proud of the fact that his son was friends with the High Prince.

Dirk's father, Lord Corin, welcomed Dirk's friends, bowing to the High Prince as formality required. He then left them to attend his other duties, and they followed Dirk to the Library.  

Laid out on the central table in the Library was a game of Kings and Soldiers. An Aelven game played much like Earth Dungeons and Dragons, only spells woven on the carved game pieces made them move on their own when commanded to move.

The game was in progress and had been for sometime. The longest game ever played out lasted four hundred years, and ended in a stalemate. The four friends had been playing this particular game for twenty-two years.

The four Aelves seated themselves around the table. Each of them had their own board set up at their perspective homes, identical to the one before them so that they could play at any of the boys’ homes. The board games were linked so that if one made a move at his home, then the other boards would copy that move. The link allowed them to play without ever having to be in the same room.

"So have you heard from Rhiaordian?" Dirk asked as he moved one of his pieces.

"Not yet. Father said Rhiaordian would send a letter every so often to inform us of Jim's progress." Blair said studying Dirk's move carefully before commanding one of his own pieces to move.

The other three boys looked at each other. They knew that this was the fist time Blair had even mentioned the Sentinel's name. It saddened them that their friend was hurting.

Suddenly the door burst open and Dirk's father entered in a huff. The boys turned to look at Dirk's father in alarm.

"Lord Strahan has been murdered!" Dirk's father said in a rush.

The boys’ eyes widened. Lord Strahan as the oldest member of the Council. "By the Gods, who would do such a thing!" Dirk exclaimed.

"Ogres?" Blair asked. Though how Ogres could get within the city walls was beyond Blair's understanding.

"If it was, they've changed their tactics. Lord Strahan was poisoned. The Healers were unable to save him, My Prince."

"Poison?" Blair mouthed in shock. Poison hadn't been used in nearly three thousand years, not since the time when the Kings and Lords of the lands used to scheme for power and land before Lord Jehan started his conquest of all the lands uniting them and making himself the first High King.

"Why would anyone poison Lord Strahan?" Dirk asked his father.

"There’s no way of knowing. The Council has been debating on several new laws proposed by the High King. Lord Strahan was the High Speaker of the Council." Lord Corin shrugged. "It could even be a personal reason."

"I received a message from your Father, my Prince. He wishes you to return home. I will lend you my carriage and have a servant bring your mount later."

"Thank you, Lord Corin. I will accept your offer with gratitude." Blair turned to his friends and said his farewells, then followed one of Lord Corin's servants to the courtyard where a carriage waited.

The carriage deposited Blair in the Courtyard of the Palace and Naomi waited him. "Oh Blair I am glad you are safe. Your father wants to see you." Naomi said hugging her son. Blair nodded and followed his mother inside the house.

"Why was Lord Strahan murdered, Mother." Blair asked.

"No one knows. And if your father does he hasn't told me yet."

Blair said nothing more as he followed is mother into the study where High King Hart sat behind his desk studying several reports. He looked up at his wife and son's entrance.

"Naomi would you please shut the door." Hart said, and Naomi obeyed. Hart continued when the door closed, "I have the reports from the Healers as well as a few of my spies on Strahan's death."

"The poison used was Dragon's Breathe. It stopped Lord Strahan's heart, and the Healers were unable to save him due in part to his extreme age." Hart reported.

"Who, father. Who killed Lord Strahan?" Blair asked.

"I have my suspicions, but no proof. But I will get proof. Lord Sef is investigating."

Lord Sef was King Hart's chief spy, and if anyone could find proof, he could.

"Dragon's Breathe," Blair mumbled. "That's hard to get. The plant only grows in the Ice Mountains to the North, and has to be kept frozen or the poison seeds won't work."

"Blair sometimes I amazed at what you know." Hart said to his son.

"Ho did you know it was Dragon's Breathe anyway. The stuff is odorless, tasteless, and leave's no trace in the body." Blair asked.

"Luckily for us, Lord Strahan doesn't like his morning tea that the Healer proscribed fro him, and the residue from the tea indicating crushed Dragon's Breathe seeds, enough to kill a dragon."

"Father, are you any danger?" Blair asked.

"Its possible. A few of the laws that the Council was debating on were my ideas. Lord Strahan was supporting the new laws, but some on the Council were against them."

Blair nodded, "Please be careful father. A food taster wouldn't be a bad idea right now."

"I'll take it into consideration."  

Three days past making it one moth since Jim had sailed away to live with Rhiaordian, and so far Lord Sef had not found any evidence to convict anyone on the death of Lord Strahan. The Council voted, and Lady Bronwyn became the new High Seat on the Council. No other deaths occurred, and life went on as it had a tendency to do despite the suffering of mortals. Lord Strahan's funeral was a state affair, and the citizens wore black to honor the fallen Lord.

The time of Mourning would last another twelve days making the total the customary fifteen days of Mourning.

Blair stood by his Father at the funeral as Lord Strahan's body was burned upon the Pyre at the highest cliff overlooking the sea. The customary goods, his weapons, some food, and a skin of the finest wine were burned with him. In olden times his finest unicorn would also be burned after having its throat slit, but such a thing was considered to barbaric in this day and age. Aelves may not have eaten meat, but they could be bloodthirsty in battle.  

During the three days Blair and his friends met to talk and play their game. They speculated on Lord Strahan's death, and Blair had told them of the Dragon's Breathe knowing he could trust his friends with the knowledge. The laws his father had offered up to the council for consideration were still part of a heated debate. One was a law that increased the taxes that noblemen paid and lowered the taxes that the poor paid. It also gave the poor the right to own land, something that had several of the Lords in apoplexy.

Blair hoped that Lord Strahan's death would be the only one. He hoped that lord Sef's investigation was scaring the offenders into not committing any more murders in the hope of not getting caught, but Blair didn't think that was the case. Like everyone else, Blair wondered what motivated the killers to poison the old Lord.

And what else they might have planned.

Nathaniel bounded through the hallway in his cat form with Gabriel right on his tail. Gabriel's golden fur with black spot was wet and water dripped off of him onto the stone floor. Nathaniel entered the Lord's room and leaped onto the bed, hiding behind Jim who had awakened startled by Nathaniel's appearance. Jim took look one look at the seemingly angry and very wet Gabriel and looked at the cub that hid behind him. "What did you do?" Jim asked.

"Nothing." Nathaniel answered with an innocent voice shifting back to human form.

"Yeah right, so why is Gabriel all wet?" Jim asked trying to hide a smile. Gabriel was pacing back and forth his wet dripping tail lashing against his hindquarters. *The cub pushed me into the pond! * Gabriel mind spoke. Gabriel refrained from leaping onto the bed so as not to get their master's bed wet.

Jim reached out and thumped Nathaniel's shoulder lightly, "Next time be more sneaky about it. That way he can't prove it was you."

Gabriel laughed at that, and so did Nathaniel. It had taken a few weeks but Jim had finally begun to talk and interact with the other Sentinels. He laughed and joked with them, and even wrestled with Nathaniel, but still refused to shift to cat form, or allow any of the Aelves to touch him without being placed in a sleeping spell first.

Jim liked the other three sentinels, even if Gabriel and Lizzy treated him like a cub sometimes. Okay, all the time, but he knew that to them, he was a cub. A bit older than Nathaniel, perhaps, but still just a cub. When he and Nathaniel wrestled around, Gabriel would watch them like a parent would, and even wade in to stop them if he thought it necessary. Both he and Nathaniel slept on Rhiaordian's bed between Gabriel and Lizzy. Either adult would always be in sight of Jim and Nathaniel ready to extract them from danger or trouble. Sometimes Jim found it annoying, but because he liked them, and respected them he tried not to make an issue out of it. After all they were following their instincts. Something Jim had done fairly often.

Jim looks over at the wet Gabriel who grinned at Jim, then the door opened and Rhiaordian walked in with Lizzy walking at his heels.

"Do I want to know what you were up to?" Rhiaordian said in Aelven to Gabriel his hands on his hips, a look of amusement on his face.

Jim who didn't understand Aleven ignored Rhiaordian. Gabriel just looked sheepish. Rhiaordian laughed and went over to the wet sentinels, and rubbed Gabriel’s' head between his hands. "Good grief, you smell like a pond!" Rhiaordian laughed. He looked over at the bed, "Okay which one of those miscreants pushed you into the pond, eh." Rhiaordian laughed. With one last rub on Gabriel’s head, Rhiaordian stood, "Come one. You need a bath. I refuse to have to smell that for a week."

Gabriel followed Rhiaordian out of the room. Lizzy sat on her haunches and watched them go then looked directly at the two on the bed.

"Hey don't look at me, I've been in here all day." Jim said.

*Nathaniel, you get into way too much mischief. * Lizzy said her mind voice tinged with humor.

"I thought it was funny." Nathaniel said.

"He was just sitting there looking at the big colorful fish swimming around, and I thought maybe he could use some help...uh fishing?" Nathaniel said, and Jim roared with laughter at that. Lizzy laughed as well.

*Just don't try your tricks on me young man. I'm too old for that sort of thing. * Lizzy mind spoke laughing.

"You're not to old, you just well preserved!" Nathaniel said.

*Young man, I have half mind to come up there and teach you some manners, * the threat sounded real but Lizzy's mind voice was tinged with humor. Jim laughed, and Lizzy's golden eyed stare pinned Jim to the bed, *and don't think I don't know who he got that comment from, either. *

Jim looked innocent, but Lizzy wasn't fooled. Instead the older Sentinel just sighed sounding long suffering.

The door opened again, and Rhiaordian came back inside this time with Gabriel at his heels. The Sentinel was freshly bathed and dry, and Jim couldn't smell a hint of pond water on him. Gabriel grinned up at them, and Jim got a bad feeling about the look.

*I got my bath, * Gabriel said humor in his mind voice, *now its time for yours. *

"Oh shit!" Jim said trying to scramble off the bed. Gabriel leaped onto the bed and pinned Nathaniel to the mattress. Nathaniel squealed in surprise and laughter. Gabriel grinned and began to use his tongue to bath the young cub beneath him. Nathaniel laughed and begged at the same time. Rhiaordian was laughing uproariously. Jim had made it to the door and watched also laughing at the scene before him. His grin faded when Gabriel mind sent, *I'll catch up with you later, little cub. * Jim decided it was time for an exit, and hoped Gabriel gave up looking for him.

Lizzy leaped onto the bed laughing as she watched Gabriel bath Nathaniel. In his cat form, Gabriel's tongue was not as rough as a real cat's and did no harm to Nathaniel's human skin. In fact, the Gabriel's tongue did an even better job than real water, as the saliva had healing properties to it. If for instance Nathaniel had any open wounds, Gabriel's tongue would disinfect the wound, and begin the healing process. The saliva also had clotting properties and would aid in blood clotting to prevent loss of blood.

It was also soothing to Sentinel's. Part of the grooming rituals between Sentinels especially between adults and cubs. Soon Nathaniel was no longer laughing and even in human form was practically purring. The soothing feel was like being rocked and soon Nathaniel fell into a peaceful sleep.

Gabriel leaped off the bed leaving Lizzy curled around Nathaniel protectively watching over the Sentinel cub as he slept. Rhiaordian had watched with a smile of tenderness. He walked over to Gabriel and petted the big Sentinel. Gabriel purred beneath his master's touch. Rhiaordian then walked over tot he bed to pet Lizzy and Nathaniel. The young cub stirred in his sleep under his master's touch but did not awaken fully.  

Gabriel's tail lashed against his hindquarters, and sent to Lizzy with a hint of laughter in his mind voice, *Now to find the other miscreant. * Lizzy mind laughed to Gabriel. *Good luck finding him. * Knowing full well how good the young Sentinel was at hiding.

*He has to come home eventually. * Gabriel sent then left the room. Rhiaordian watched him go and then looked at Lizzy who appeared to be grinning in her lioness form. "Why do I get the feeling that Gabriel is going to show back up dragging Jim by the scruff?" Rhiaordian said with amusement. Lizzy just winked.  

Jim managed to hide out from Gabriel for two hours. He kept moving from one part of the castle to another staying one step ahead of the older Sentinel. Both Gabriel and Lizzy had bathed Jim in that manner before. He had fought them the first time only to find out that in terms of strength he was a cub and stood no chance. The tongue bath had been a strange sensation. Neither Lizzy or Gabriel ever went past the shorts that Jim wore, nor at no time did the tongue bath ever feel sexual. It had been strange and soothing and before they had been done, Jim had fallen to sleep. He knew it was just a part of being a Sentinel. He had seen Lizzy and Gabriel bath each other. Though Lizzy stayed in cat form all the time because it was easier for her to move around in, Gabriel switched back and forth between forms like Nathaniel did, but never tongue bathed anyone while he was in his human form, only cat form. However, it didn't seem to matter what form the bathed was in.

At the end of the two hours, Gabriel pounced on Jim in the garden where Nathaniel had pushed Gabriel into the pond. Jim tried to squirm out from beneath Gabriel's paws without success.

*Gotcha! * Gabriel mind sent.

Gabriel's strength easily carried Jim, while his powerful jaws gently but firmly had Jim's upper shoulders in its hold as he carefully carried the younger Sentinel out of the garden and into the castle. Jim gave no struggle, as paralyzed in Gabriel's jaws as a cub held by its scruff.

So big and powerful was Gabriel that Jim's feet did not drag on the ground.

Gabriel carried Jim up the stairs to Rhiaordian's chambers, and leaped onto the bed. Lizzy was still curled on the bed's foot, but Rhiaordian who was seated on the bed, his back against the headboard, was holding Nathaniel. Rhiaordian was holding a bottle of unicorn's milk while Nathaniel suckled on it, one hand kneading at Rhiaordian’s hand instinctively. Jim could see that Nathaniel was awake. Gabriel deposited Jim on the bed and held him down with one paw as he began tongue bathing the younger Sentinel.

Jim didn't struggle, knowing it was useless. He watched Nathaniel drink the bottle of unicorn's milk while Rhiaordian petted the young cub's head. Nathaniel was still in human form. Like Jim he wore only a pair of light blue shorts that served as a diaper, and the golden collar with its tags hanging in front. Jim's old collar had been replaced with a duplicate of Nathaniel’s. The tags had his name and age written on the back, and held Rhiaordian's crest on the front.

Jim knew that he was next in feeding. While both Lizzy and Gabriel drank their milk from a couple of bowls in the room, both Jim and Nathaniel was bottle fed by Rhiaordian.

The tongue bathing was starting to make Jim sleepy as it usually did, but he shook off the effects not wanting to sleep at that moment.

The door to the room opened, and Rhiaordian's wife walked into the room with their two children behind her. Rhiaordian grinned at them. "Welcome back. Did you enjoy the trip?" Rhiaordian asked.

Seeing that her husband's hands were full she smiled and said, "The Sea was bit choppy, but nothing untoward happened. Alia was happy to see us, and her baby is absolutely beautiful."

"I'm glad your sister is doing good. Maeve, Liam, did you have a good time?" Rhiaordian asked his son and daughter.

"Yeah, dad. It was fun. Uncle Lachlan's sword master taught me some new moves." Liam said with excitement in his voice.

Liam came over to the bed and began petting Gabriel who stopped bathing Jim for a moment to enjoy the feeling.

Maeve walked over and sat down on the bed beside Lizzy and began to pet her.

"Father, can I please feed Jim." Liam asked. Jim's head turned to look at Liam hearing his name, but not understanding the rest of what the boy said. Liam looked to be about Blair's age, but Jim knew that that an Aelf's age was hard to guess.

Rhiaordian thought about it for a second, "I'm sorry Liam, but Jimmy still fighting me. When he better trained then I'll let you. But if you want you can finish feeding Nathaniel here."

Liam grinned, "Alright." The young prince seated himself in one of the large comfortable chairs, and Rhiaordian got off the bed and carried Nathaniel over to his son. He settled the young Sentinel into Liam's arms and handed him the bottle. Liam smiled as Nathaniel began to suckle on the teat as soon as Liam placed it against the Sentinel's lips.

Gabriel had returned to his bathing, He was nearly finished and was now working on Jim's head and neck having started with Jim's legs. With one last swipe over Jim's short hair, Gabriel released the younger Sentinel only to have Rhiaordian wrap an arm around Jim and pull him up to the head of the bed into Rhiaordian's lap. Jim struggled, growling. Rhiaordian quickly spoke the spell and Jim fell into the spell forced sleep. Rhiaordian sighed, and petted Jim's short hair, then picked up the full bottle on the nightstand and placed the teat against Jim's slack lips. Instincts took over and the sentinel took the teat into his mouth and began to suckle, drinking the warmed milk.

"Will he ever quit fighting you, Father?" Maeve asked.

"Maybe one day, sweetie. After he's properly bonded, perhaps." Rhiaordian answered as he petted Jim's head while the Sentinel fed.  

After Jim finished off his two bottles of unicorn's milk, Rhiaordian laid him on the foot of the bed between Gabriel and Lizzy beside Nathaniel who was also fast asleep.

The spell wore off a few minutes later and Jim woke up. Careful not to wake the other three Sentinels, Jim got off the bed and left the room. Rhiaordian and his family were already out of the room and down in the dining hall eating their own dinner. Jim went out into one of the gardens and sat down beneath the shade of a tree.

With his back to the trunk, Jim looked up into the starry night sky at the twin moons that hung in the inky blackness. Dark clouds were beginning to obscure the moons and Jim could smell rain in the air.

A flash of lightning lit up the night sky and a few minutes later the distant sound of thunder rumbled. Sighing, Jim stood up to go back inside the castle not in the mood to be wet. Another flash of lightning and the thunder sounded closer as the wind picked up. Jim shivered a bit at the cold wind, and walked barefoot through the grassy garden and into the castle.

Reluctantly Jim headed back into the room where the other sentinels slept. Instead of lying on the bed, however, Jim stayed in the sitting room. He lay down on the woven rug in front of the fireplace and watched the flames flicker as he listened to the pouring rain splash against the ground outside. Eventually, sleep found him.  

Some four weeks after the death of Lord Strahan, Blair found himself in his bedroom tears filling his eyes as he cried softly his father's arms wrapped around him.  

Just that morning, while Griffon was out riding, a troll that had avoided the patrols attacked the young Aelf. Before Griffon could use his magic to stop the troll, his unicorn, a young racer, had shied and bucked in fright. Griffon had fallen from his unicorn, and broke his neck, killing him instantly. Unfortunately, because of the troll there was no body to burn. Griffon's parents had sent their own hunters out to find and slaughter the troll, and were calling on the High King and Council to increase the size of the standing army and to further the patrol's range.

High King Hart had ordered more men from the standing armies onto the patrols and had widened their range, something he could do without the Council's permission, but to increase the size of the standing army had to be the council's decision.

The troll had been found along with four others who had avoided the patrols, and were slaughtered by the hunters. The patrol had found what remained of their son, and had brought it home in a small box to be burned so that Griffon's soul could go to the afterlife.

The funeral had been sad. The remains had been scattered on the pyre, and the sight had boiled the blood of every Aelf there until the lust for battle and revenge almost overwhelmed them. But the sight of the smoke rising into the air escorting Griffon's soul to the Gods' domain had quelled the rage and released the sadness within the Aelves present at the funeral.

The unicorn that had shied had come back and had died from exhaustion and fear. The unicorn's body was also burned on the pyre.  

Blair cried in his father's arms once they had come back to the safety of the Palace, and Hart had hugged his son tightly to him allowing Blair to release his grief and tears. A knock on the door had Hart turning angrily in that direction.

"Come in!" He growled intending to take the head off of whoever it was. The door opened to admit Lord Sef who without preamble said, "The Ogres and the trolls have joined forces and are amassing an army on the lands of Lord Failen who also sent the assassin to kill Lord Strahan because Lord Strahan knew and planned to tell you."

"By the Gods." Hart breathed. Blair had wiped his eyes and looked at Lord Sef. "You mean we are at war. After four hundred years of peace we are now at war."

"Damn," Hart said. We need to assemble the Council."

The two of them stood and followed Lord Sef into the hallway. A servant walked past them, sweat beaded on the man's forehead. He bumped into King Hart who cried out in pain. Lord Sef drew his sword and lopped off the servants head who hand clutched a small dagger that had a drop of blood on the tip. Hart looked at the small scratch on his arm through the torn sleeve, and his face turned ashen. "I don't feel so good." Hart said and slumped forward into Lord Sef's arms. "My King! Someone get a Healer!" Lord Sef yelled and servants who had stood in shock rushed to obey. However, as Blair clutched his father's arm, tears falling down his face he could see that it was too late. The poison coated on the dagger had done its work, and Hart's bright blue eyes turned dull as the High King of Aelfinnian breathed his last breath.

"NO!!!!!!!" Blair screamed to the unforgiving heavens.

Blair stood solemnly on the highest cliff wearing unrelieved black as he watched the servants place the goods beside the pyre where his father's body lay. The goods, High King Hart's weapons and armor, food, and wine along with the body of Stone Singer. Because they were at war, the Council had decreed that the old funeral rituals be observed for King Hart.

Therefore the old stallion had been killed mercifully and the body placed beside the pyre. Hart's soul would ride the unicorn into the afterlife to show the gods that this was the High King and not some common Aelf.

The High Priest spoke, but Blair did not here the words. Instead he watched the flames take his father's body, and the smoke his father's soul. No tears fell down Blair's face. All his tears were dried up. Blair felt dried up. His father was dead, and within a week Blair would be anointed High King.

Rhiaordian read the words on the paper for what seemed the hundredth time trying to deny the truth that was before him in black and white.

With a saddened angry growl, Rhiaordian used his magic to burn the paper. He watched the ashes fall to the ground as tears filled his eyes.

With a saddened angry growl, Rhiaordian used his magic to burn the paper. He watched the ashes fall to the ground as tears filled his eyes.

Within a few minutes, Rhiaordian pulled himself together knowing he would pay for it later. He knew his duty, and called for servants to attend him.

He ordered them to pack clothes for himself and his daughter, Maeve. When they understood his instructions and left him to obey, Rhiaordian went in search of Maeve.

He found her in one of the gardens with Nathaniel lying beside her in the green grass. At Rhiaordian’s appearance in the garden she turned to look at him and saw the grief in her father's eyes.

"What is it, father?" Maeve asked worry in her tone.

"High King Hart was murdered." Rhiaordian answered

Maeve gasped, "By the Gods. Prince Blair?"

"Alive, but heartbroken. I have the servants packing for us to leave within the hour."

"Us? I don't understand, Father."

"Blair is to be anointed King. Even though both of you are still underage, the marriage must still go through. It is tradition."

"The wedding must take place before a month has passed from the day of Anointment."

Maeve' s head lowered and she watched her hand move across Nathaniel's fur. "I understand, Father. I will be ready."

Rhiaordian nodded, "You must also be careful. The same ones who killed the High King have amassed an army of trolls and ogres. We appear to be on the verge of war. Those same people might attempt to kill you or Blair."

"I will be careful, Father."

Rhiaordian nodded, then left Maeve in the garden to prepare for the journey.

He found his wife and son telling them the news. They would run the island until Rhiaordian could return.

Rhiaordian then headed toward his room and found Gabriel and Jim along with Lizzy in the room. He smiled and called Gabriel and Jim to him.

Gabriel of course came to him, and Rhiaordian snapped a leash to Gabriel's collar.

Jim ignored the call, and Rhiaordian shook his head and walked over to the young Sentinel, grounding Gabriel's leash as he did.

Before Jim could get away, Rhiaordian grasped Jim's collar and snapped a leash to it. Jim sighed and followed Rhiaordian as the King went over to where Gabriel waited. Picking up Gabriel’s leash, Rhiaordian left the room the two Sentinels following him both in human form.

The servants carried the luggage to the waiting carriage. Maeve dressed in black came outside and got into the carriage with her father and the two sentinels.

The carriage took them to the ship that awaited their arrival.  

At the docks, Rhiaordian stepped out of the carriage with the Sentinels following him. Jim took one look at the ship and balked. Rhiaordian looked at Jim in confusion then mentally slapped himself. "I forgot." Rhiaordian said to no one in particular.

"What did you forget, Father?" Maeve asked.

"Jim is afraid of open water, sweetheart. I'm going to put him to sleep, would you take Gabriel's leash."

"Of course, Father. Poor Jim. Will he be alright?" Maeve asked taking Gabriel's leash.

"He will be. I'll keep him either under the sleep spell or below decks the entire trip."

Rhiaordian touched Jim's forehead and whispered the sleep spell. He caught the sentinel before he fell to the ground and picked him up then walked across the docking plank onto the ship. Maeve followed with Gabriel at her heels, and the servants brought aboard the luggage.

As soon as the passengers were aboard, the ship weighed anchor, and shoved off.

Blair received the magically sent message that said Rhiaordian was on his way and sighed with relief. He was still in mourning for his Father, shocked at the assassination. He needed Rhiaordian there to help him. His mother was in shock unable to help him with the duties that were beginning to weigh on him and he hadn't even been anointed High King yet. Only he and Naomi knew that Blair's father had appointed Rhiaordian as Blair's guardian should anything happen to Hart, and would therefore be the Regent until Blair came of age. And no one would know until the day of Blair's Anointment ceremony.

Hart's secretary, now Blair’s', was readying everything for the ceremony. And doing a damn fine job of it for which Blair was grateful. Already the Councilors were calling upon Blair telling him about the problems of increasing the army and readying the country for war. Not that Blair could do anything about it until the ceremony unless the trolls and ogres suddenly attacked.

So far Lord Sef's reports indicated the army of trolls and ogres appeared to be on standby. Each day they increased their numbers and continued to train. Blair wondered what they were waiting for. Lord Sef believed they were waiting for an assassin to kill Blair, and had four of his most loyal assassins guarding Blair at all times.

After all who better to stop an assassin but another assassin

Blair was in a meeting with Lord Sef when a servant told him that Rhiaordian's ship had docked. Blair thanked the servant and ordered a carriage to pick up Rhiaordian and bring him here. The servant bowed and obeyed the order.

Blair met the carriage in the courtyard, his assassin guards with him at all times along with Lord Sef.

He was surprised when Rhiaordian exited the carriage with Maeve along with Jim and another sentinel.

Blair noticed that Jim saw him, and it saddened his heart when the sentinel turned his face away from Blair.

Gathering together what was left of his courage, Blair strode forward to greet Rhiaordian.

The four assassins dogging his path, eyes alert to any sign of danger, Blair smiled at Rhiaordian and shook the Aelf's hand.

"I am glad you are here, su'fali." Blair said.

Rhiaordian may only be Blair's honorary uncle, but the endearment held.

"Let's go inside, Blair. You are too out in the open here." Rhiaordian said, and the group turned to go inside the manor. Even inside the assassins did not let down their guard, aware that King Hart had been killed right outside his own rooms.

"I will show you both to your rooms, Uncle." Blair said, and Rhiaordian nodded walking beside Blair as they started up the staircase. On Rhiaordian's other side Jim walked at the Aelf's heels ignoring Blair.

Blair showed Maeve to her room first. The Queen Suite was usually reserved for visiting Queens who had no consort.

"Maeve, take Gabriel with you." Rhiaordian said. Maeve nodded and Rhiaordian looked at Gabriel and said, "Guard!" in Aelven. Immediately, the older sentinel went on alert, the command telling the sentinel that danger was about.

Jim looked at Gabriel noticing the alert stance. "What's going on?" Jim asked the sentinel in "Finn".

"Master has ordered me on guard. There is danger here." Gabriel answered.

"Danger for who?" Jim asked as he sent his senses outward to look for danger.

"For the Master, and the young mistress. Perhaps even the other Aelves."

Jim looked at Blair and noticed the four guards that surrounded him, and he knew at that moment something was wrong. *What has happened, * Jim wondered.

Blair showed Rhiaordian to his room that were right beside Blair's and in fact had a secret door that connected the two rooms.

"Come inside, Blair, and talk to me." Rhiaordian said. Blair nodded and the four guards along with Lord Sef waited outside the room knowing that they could trust Rhiaordian.

Rhiaordian led Jim into the bedroom, and removed the leash. With a quick spell, he secured Jim inside the room, and then went into the sitting room.

Blair was already seated on one of the couches, and Rhiaordian sat down beside him. Almost immediately Blair fell into Rhiaordian's arms, tears falling down his face. Rhiaordian hugged the young Aelf to him whispering that it was all right to cry.

He held Blair for several minutes allowing the young Aelf to cry out his grief. "Oh Blair, I am so sorry." Rhiaordian whispered as he hugged Blair, and gently patted the young Aelf's back.

Eventually, Blair pulled back wiping his eyes. "I am glad you are here. I don't know what to do. The Council is already giving me grief trying to get me to reveal who the Regent is. That army is gathering their numbers, and I am scared to death that someone is going to kill me."

"No one will kill you, Blair. Not while I am here. And I will help you take care of the Council. They will not be happy when your Father's Last Order is read at the Anointment Ceremony."

"They don't like you, huh." Blair asked with a bit of smile.

"Not really. But it won't be a problem. Are you ready for the Ceremony?"

"I guess. I'm not ready to be High King that's for sure."

"No one is ever ready to be King. For one to be King, another had to die."

Blair nodded at that.

"But I will be there to help through it all until you are of age. The wedding will of course have to take place within a month after the Anointment ceremony." Rhiaordian said.

"The Wedding. Oh man, please tell me you are kidding." Blair begged. He looked at Rhiaordian, "Oh man, you're not. I forgot." He mumbled the last.

Rhiaordian chuckled, "It won't be so bad, Blair. Look at it this way, no one would be expecting children for awhile."

Blair blushed a deep crimson.  

Jim lay on the bed listening to the voices coming from the other room. He didn't understand what they were saying, but had heard Blair crying. He wondered not for the first time why Blair was so sad.

Feeling bad that he had ignored Blair, Jim got up and went to the open door of the room. He couldn't go past the doorway thanks to the shield that Rhiaordian had put up, but he could see through it. He saw Blair and Rhiaordian sitting on one of the couches. Blair's face was red from crying and his eyes were a bit puffy. He was smiling at something Rhiaordian said, and then started to blush. Jim grinned. Rhiaordian must have said something good to make Blair blush. He watched Blair stand up and hug Rhiaordian, and then watched Blair leave the room. He noticed the guards waiting for him outside the room. So intent on Blair was he that he failed to notice Rhiaordian standing in front of him.

When Rhiaordian placed a hand on the back of Jim's collar, the sentinel started a bit, and looked at the Aelf. Rhiaordian smiled at Jim and with one hand on Jim's collar he steered him back into the room. Servants brought in the bags, and unpacked Rhiaordian’s things.

Rhiaordian spoke to one of the servants. Jim didn’t know what the Aelf said, but guessed when the servant brought back a couple of bottles of unicorn's milk. Jim could feel his stomach growling. Jim was prepared to struggle, when something occurred to him. If there was danger here, then being in the throes of a sleeping spell would not be a good idea. Grimacing at the thought that he would have to cooperate, Jim decided that he wouldn't fight.

Jim could tell that Rhiaordian was surprised when Jim allowed the Aelf to lift him into his lap while Rhiaordian sat on one of the chairs. Jim took the teat into his mouth without a fuss, and slowly drank the unicorn's milk.

He even allowed Rhiaordian to pet him while he suckled on the bottle. Wondering why Rhiaordian was chuckling, Jim finished off the bottle and took the second bottle.

Rhiaordian placed the second empty bottle on a table.

"So my fine little cub, something has you cooperating today. I wonder if it has anything to do with Blair." Rhiaordian said in Aelven. At Blair's name the sentinel looked at him. "Thought it might be."

With one last pet on Jim's head, Rhiaordian picked up the sentinel and placed him on the foot of the bed, then exited the room. He felt the sentinel's eyes on his back as he left.  

The day of the Anointment Ceremony arrived. The other lesser Kings of Aelfinnian had arrived along with several of the Nobility. The Grand Hall had been decorated with banners, and tapestries. Servants moved through the room carrying trays gladdened with food and wine glasses. The talk amongst the people in the hall was mostly speculation on who was to be the Regent.

The High Priest at the Ceremony would read King Hart’s final decree after Blair was anointed High King.

Rhiaordian and Maeve weren't the only Aelves who carried leashes attached to the collars of sentinels. Several of the lesser Kings had their own sentinels, male and female, young and old. There was small talk among them about breeding and training.

Jim followed Rhiaordian through the crowd, his hearing and smell turned down low. Rhiaordian stopped one of the servants that carried a tray of unicorn milk candy and took a piece from the tray.

Placing it against Jim's lips, he smiled when the sentinel took the candy in his mouth. He petted Jim's head then headed over to where several of the lesser Kings were talking amongst themselves.

The lesser kings welcomed Rhiaordian by name, and Rhiaordian greeted them by name. They first spoke of Maeve's wedding to the young High King, and the discussed the problems of the ogres and the dreadful assassination of King Hart. Rhiaordian gave his opinion and expressed his own concern. All the while one of his hands lightly petted Jim's head. The sentinel took it in stride.

A blast of horns made Jim wince a bit and Rhiaordian soothed Jim's head with his hand. The horns announced Blair's arrival. The young High King to be appeared at the doorway with his mother at his arm. The crowd parted gathering on either side of the red carpet that led to the dais where the throne waited them.

Jim watched as Blair and Naomi walked toward the dais and wondered where Blair's father was. The black armband around Blair's arm gave Jim a sick feeling in his gut, and the sentinel's heart went out to Blair.

The crowd bowed or curtseyed as Blair walked by them toward the dais. The High Priest stood before the stairs of the dais wearing the flowing robes of his calling. Beside him a young boy dressed in Acolytes robes stood carrying the velvet pillow where the crown rested.

When Blair was within a step of the High Priest, he knelt down on both knees, fists crossed over his chest. Naomi moved away to give them room for the ceremony.

The High Priest asked Blair if he swore to defend the laws of Aelfinnian, and defend the people of Aelfinnian and the honor of all Aelves. Blair swore to do so naming the names of all the Gods and Goddesses who would bear witness to the oath.

"By the authority of the Gods and Goddesses that created this land and our people I proclaim Blair son of Hart, son of Taron, son of Masik, son of Jehan as high King of Aelfinnian." The High Priest lifted the crown high over his head, then sat it down gently upon Blair's head, then kissed either side of Blair's cheek helping the young King to rise.

When Blair turned to look at the crowd, the men and women cheered the ascension of their new King.

Blair took his seat on the dais, and his mother seated herself beside him. The ceremony was far from complete. Each of the lesser Kings and every member of the nobility had to swear fealty to the King, then the Last Order of King Hart would be read naming the Regent who would essentially run the kingdom until Blair came of age.

One by one the lesser Kings came forward dressed in their finest clothes. They knelt before the King under the watchful eyes of the assassins who guarded Blair, and kissed the ring on Blair's right hand swearing fealty to the King. Then each King offered Blair a gift, which he accepted. Even though Blair was still under age, the gifts by tradition would be the only possessions Blair would actually own until he came of age. The gifts were elaborate. He was given gold statues, weapons, armor, and even unicorn foals. He accepted each gift graciously. Rhiaordian came to the dais, and Blair tried not to smile at his friend. The King still held the leash with Jim on the other end. Rhiaordian knelt before his King, and kissed the ring swearing fealty to Blair. Then with a smile, he hands over the leash offering his gift, which the King took stunned.

Blair gripped the leash tightly, afraid that he would wake up. Afraid to believe that Rhiaordian was actually giving Jim to him as his Accession gift. Rhiaordian stood after Blair accepted his gift, winked at Blair and turned heading back into the crowd. Blair was awakened back when the next King knelt before him. Using his power, Blair melded the leash to the arm of his throne, and held out his hand for the King to kiss the ring and swear fealty. He accepted the Aelf's gift, several bolts of silk, and the King returned to the crowd.

Jim sat down on the dais beside the throne. By watching the other kneel before Blair, kiss his ring, and hand over something, Jim had understood that Rhiaordian had given Jim to Blair as a gift of some sort. Unsure of what to do, he leaned against the throne and waited.

The ceremony lasted quite awhile. Servants came and took the gifts discreetly taking them to Blair's room. Jim was left where he was at since only Blair's power could release the leash, and the High King had not yet done so.

Finally the ceremony winded down, and the last of the Nobility swore fealty, and the High Priest stepped up to the dais again. In his hand was a sealed scroll, which he opened and read. Though some were shocked, others nodded in understanding when Rhiaordian was named Regent.

Rhiaordian came onto the dais and swore to the High Priest and all the gods that he would guide and aid young Blair in his task until such time as the High King came of age.

When the ceremony ended, everyone adjourned into the dining hall. Blair reluctantly unhooked the leash from the chair and handed it over to a servant with instructions to take Jim to his room. With a sad sigh, Blair placed Jim in a sleeping spell, and the servant bowed and carried Jim up the stairs.

Dinner was long, but the food was good. All vegetable delicacies from all over Aelfinnian.

By the time dinner was done, Blair was dragging. The assassins, all alert and energized, followed him up the stairs to his bedroom. Servants helped Blair undress and helped bath him. A servant had turned down Blair's bed, and when Blair entered his bedroom the first thing he saw was Jim lying on the foot of it.

The sleeping spell had worn off hours ago, and Jim had fallen into real sleep while he had waited. When Blair had entered the room, Jim had woken up, and now he was staring at Blair.

Not knowing what to say, Blair kept silent and walked over to his bed. He noticed that the leash had been attached to the bedpost. Blair took the time and energy to take the leash off Jim's collar, then with sadness and regret he placed restrictions on the collar, which kept Jim from leaving Blair's rooms.

Jim said nothing as Blair removed the leash, and Blair had to fight to keep tears from falling. When he was done he crawled into bed, exhaustion written all over him.

"I'll explain everything tomorrow, Jim." Blair whispered sentinel soft before falling into a deep slumber.

Jim watched Blair sleep for a few minutes before he laid his head back down on the bed. He fell asleep to the soothing sound of Blair's heartbeat echoing in his ears.

Morning came, and Jim watched Blair wake up and get ready for what was to be a very busy day. When he was done with his bath, and was dressed, Blair chased out the servants then seated himself cross-legged on his bed.

"What is going on?" Jim asked.

"My Father was assassinated." Blair said.

Jim's face fell, "Oh God, Chief, I'm sorry."

"The Ceremony yesterday made me High King with Rhiaordian as Regent. The Aelves who assassinated my father have joined forces with our enemies, the ogres and the trolls. They are armassing an army on one of the traitor's lands."

"The you are in danger as well." Jim said.

Blair nodded. "Already two of my tasters have intercepted poison meant for me."

"Why did Rhiaordian give the leash to you yesterday?"

Blair shrugged, "Part of the fealty ceremony is that each Noble or King give me gift. You were Rhiaordian's gift."

"I though you were underage?" Jim was confused.

"I am, but a fealty gift is different. Until I am of age, they are the only things I can own."

Jim tried not to get angry at the thought that Blair now owned him.

The door opened to admit Rhiaordian. Blair looked at the Regent. "I figure you'd tell him what's going on. Good." Rhiaordian said.

"I gave you Jim for two reasons, Blair. One I knew that he belonged to you, and two he can help protect you."

Blair thought about it then it occurred to him. The "Finns" had been used to detect poisons. Poison's like Dragon's Breathe may be odorless to Aelves, but not to sentinels.

"Jim wouldn't be able to recognize Aelf poisons." Blair said.

"Not right now, though. But you can train him; yes train him, to detect poisons. Brennan can help with that, as can I."

"Eventually, Jim will recognize the poisons and be able to warn you should he detect them. But he will need the training."

Blair nodded, "I can teach him. I'll just explain everything to him..."

Rhiaordian shook his head, "Blair, you are High King. You don't have time to train a sentinel even if you do it your way."

"We are about to be at war. You will be needed to sit on Councils, and direct the army, not sitting in here training a stubborn sentinel to detect poisons."

"Brennan can teach the cub, and in a short amount of time. You can speedup that by telling him why this is necessary and if you have to order him to do it."

Blair shook his head, "I won't order him to do it, but I will explain it to him."

Rhiaordian shakes his head, "You are nearly as stubborn, Blair. Fine, then. He's yours now. Though he's still not completely free. The law is still in place if you'll recall."

"And changing it will have to wait until this war is done, I know." Blair finished.

"I'll contact Brennan then. You need to order a few bottle of milk for him. I suspect he's probably hungry."

Blair smiled. Jim would kill him if Blair fed him with a bottle.

But he was tempted just for fun.

Shaking his head, Blair turned to Jim after Rhiaordian left the room. "What was that all about?" Jim asked.

Blair explained what Rhiaordian had said, and Jim listened intently.

Jim nodded his head in agreement. "I'll endure the damn training, just be careful until I learn these poisons."

"I will be. And thanks, Jim."

"I can't very well let you die, Chief. Who knows where I'd end up?"

Blair laughed.

"Blair I'm sorry about your father. And I want you to know, I forgive you for not telling me about this sooner."

Blair's eyes filled with tears, "Oh gods Jim, I thought you hated me. I couldn't stand to think you might have."

"I don't hate you, Chief. You did what you could, and I'm grateful for that." At that Blair broke down and Jim hugged the Aelf allowing Blair to cry against his chest as he soothed Blair's long hair with his hand.  

Unfortunately for Jim, Blair was unable to break any of the rules that had been set down for sentinels since they were first discovered.  Therefor, Jim continued to wear the collar. The collar was new, having Blair's running wolves etched into the gold by magic so that all Aelves knew whom Jim belonged to.

The training sessions with Brennan were frustrating because Brennan didn't speak English, and still treated Jim as if he were a pet, which if Jim were to admit he still was at least until the war was over and Blair could convince the Council to change it's policies.  Brennan trained Jim as he had trained sentinels before. He used magic to simulate the poisons scents, and like a drug dog, Jim could sniff them out from the various foods and drinks they were placed upon. When he did, Jim received a pat on the head and essentially the Aelven version of "good boy". Of course he was never punished for getting anything wrong. Instead, he was told "No", and the lesson was repeated until he got it right.

Fortunately, Brennan only spent a few hours each day training Jim in detecting poisons stating to Blair that any longer and Jim would drive him crazy. Blair had laughed at that. Jim had just glowered.  At night Jim slept on the couch in the outer chamber of Blair's suite, his senses alert for any assassins who might try to get in. During the day, after Brennan's training sessions, Jim followed Blair around, his presence remarked upon by only a few of the Lords that Blair met on a daily basis. The remarks were few since everyone knew why Jim was there. The black band around Blair's upper arm, or the black ribbon tied around Jim's gold collar was reminder enough.

Council sessions continued late into the night. Councilors argued about tax increases, army increases, food and water surpluses, and reports brought back by spies. So far the reports indicated that the troll Army was multiplying but had yet to march. A few elves, mostly Lord Failon, and his supporters were among the trolls and ogres as acting as generals. There was still concern that Blair's assassination would be the sign for the army to attack. Rhiaordian, acting as Regent, was also considered a target, therefor both of them had tasters, and were accompanied by four of the Royal assassins wherever they went.

Since Blair was underage, Rhiaordian was really in charge, though Blair did give some orders, but listened to his Regent's advice. The Council, after much deliberating, finally came up with an Declaration of War. The document was signed by all the Councilors, and was then signed by both Blair and Rhiaordian. Once the document was signed, the Council had essentially handed the reins to Blair and Rhiaordian. They were now able to order the Army's size increased, the taxes to be increased to help pay for th Army.  All orders had to pertain to the war, and how best to defend the kingdom. Blair just hoped there would be enough time to get their own army trained and in place before the ogres and trolls attacked.

**

Some eleven days after Blair had been crowned King, the young Aelf was sitting in his spot at the formal dining table. To his right was Rhiaordian, and Rhiaordian's daughter who was the Queen to be. The Ladies of the Court, wives and daughters of the Lord Councillors, were now a part of Maeve's Women's Court and were working alongside Maeve for the wedding preparations. Blair tried not blush as he listened to their talk.

"Your Highness?" The voice was that of Lord Gregory who was seated some three chairs from Blair. The Formal dining Hall was built in such a way that all conversations could be heard by anyone, which was why everyone spoke in a below normal tone of voice.

"Yes, Lord Gregory?" Blair asked wondering what the elder man wanted.

"I couldn't help but admire your sentinel there." Lord Gregory indicated Jim who was seated on the fur pallet near fireplace situated just behind Blair. "A fine animal. When he is of breeding age, I don't suppose you would consider studding him out. I have two fine female sentinels just barely below breeding age themselves. I believe such a beautiful male would stud admirable colts."

"Uhm," Blair stammered, "I'll get back to you on that, Lord Gregory.  After all he's still very far below breeding age." He didn't have to look to know that Jim was blushing.  Blair thought he could almost feel the heat from Jim's cheeks. *Thank the gods he is below breeding age, I don't know how I could refuse Lord Gregory without insulting him.  *Man, now I know why Simon always said he hated politics.*

"Of course, of course. I shall look forward to the time when we can officiate this business." Lord Gregory looked at Jim again, "A fine cub, yes, a very fine cub."

Blair was glad that Lord Gregory didn't speak of studding Jim for the rest of the meal. *I hope to hell this war doesn't last for a hundred years. I won't be able to say no without insulting a family of renown if sentinels are still considered pets when Jim comes of age.*  Unfortunately, Blair remembered the last war with the trolls and ogres from his history class. That war had lasted some two hundred and twenty three years because both troll and ogres were as long lived as Aelves.

When dinner was over, Jim and the eight assassin guards accompanied Blair and Rhiaordian back to Blair's rooms. At the door, Rhiaordian wished Blair a goodnight, and left. Blair opened his door after Jim used his hearing to check the room for intruders. The guards stayed outside Blair's door.

"I can't believe that! why didn't you tell him no?" Jim asked.

"Because, I couldn't insult him like that. He's a council member and his family and mine have a long standing friendship. Its politics, Jim. I am a king. Sometimes I can't let my own feelings interfere in what must be done."

"And if I was of 'breeding age' I believe you put it, what then?" Jim asked.

Blair looked away, "I might not have had a choice. I don't really know how I could have said no without insulting him."

"I can't believe this!" Jim threw up his hands in disgust.

"You wouldn't have had to do anything Jim. Its not like breeding unicorns. We don't officiate over it. Lord Gregory would have kept you for a few weeks. You would have lived in his home like you do here, and slept on his bed along with his sentinels, and we would hope or at least Gregory would hope that nature would take its course. But your lucky, your not of breeding age." Blair placed his hand over his mouth, "I'm sorry Jim, I shouldn't have used that term."

"No its alright. I should be used to this by now. Damn, that explains why Carolyn didn't get pregnant." Jim said the last part quietly but Blair still heard him.

"I'm sorry, Jim. You're right. You couldn't sire kids while on Earth since you were still too young."  Jim nodded.

A servant came in and started Blair's bath, and Blair soaked in the hot water for a several minutes before finally scrubbing himself clean. The servant drained and cleaned the tub, then refilled it. While Blair redressed in his nightclothes, and crawled into his bed, Jim bathed himself. When he was done, Jim put back on a pair of the bespelled shorts, then went into the outer chamber and laid down on the couch while the servant cleaned the bathtub, then left taking the dirty clothes with him to be washed.

**

Sometime during the night, Jim's senses woke him up. He opened his eyes into he darkness, and the moon highlighted to his eyes at least, the creature that moved through the room. Jim was in shock by what his senses were telling him. The creature before him stood at eight feet tall, and walked on split hooves. It had a snout like a pig with tusks, and was heavily muscled at the shoulders. Jim could only assume the creature was a troll or an ogre and he got up shouting a warning as he tried to tackle the big creature.

It was like hitting a brick wall. He would have bounced off the beast, but it grabbed him with a five-fingered grip on his collar and lifted him into the air while it squealed. Jim grabbed the creature's wrist in an attempt to break the beast's grip before he choked to death. Blair burst out of his room and fired a bolt of blue lightning at the beast. The lightning crackled as it hit the shield that had been woven around the creature. The troll squealed again and snorted, speaking in it's own language. The four assassins entered the room and physically attacked the beast that threw Jim against the nearby wall. The sentinel hit his head and blacked out.

The troll drew a heavy bladed curved sword and fought the assassins.  Blair tried to get to Jim, but one of the assassins grabbed Blair and pushed him back into Blair's bedroom to protect him better. The troll tore off one of the assassin's heads, and threw it against the wall where it split open. The body fell at the troll's hoofed feet. Another assassin's arm was broken, and the other was torn off. The troll only had a few cuts, and a dagger was embedded in the beast's chest. However, trolls had thick hides and it would take more than that to stop it. Blair continued to struggle against his bodyguard, calling for Jim.

The troll having finished off the third assassin by ripping the Aelf in half, looked toward the door where the last assassin stood with Blair behind him. It tilted its head hearing the sound of boots that were getting closer. Reinforcements. The troll squealed and snorted then reached down and scooped up the unconscious sentinel and slung him over its shoulder.

"NO!" Blair screamed trying to get past the assassin whose only thought was to protect his king.

The door burst open and Rhiaordian came inside followed by several of the King's Guards. The troll squealed and raised its fist. A ring on the creature's finger glowed, and the red glow from the ruby engulfed both the troll and Jim, and when it dissipated both were gone.  Rhiaordian went to the place the troll and Jim had disappeared from, and using a spell he tested the area. Blair had fallen to his knees his head in his hands as he wept.  Maeve went to Blair and knelt down beside him to comfort him.

"Lord Failon," Rhiaordian said recognizing the energy signature.

"Why?" Blair asked looking up at his Regent and friend.

"It was here to kill you, Blair. It failed. Perhaps it thought to placate Failon with Jim," Rhiaordian said. He refused to voice the other reason. Trolls enjoyed the taste of sentinel.

But of course the idea occurred to Blair as well. Everyone knew that ogres and sentinels were natural enemies. A full-grown sentinel was a match for an ogre. Rhiaordian looked at Gabriel who stood at the doorway. Though the sentinel was in human form, Rhiaordian could sense the sentinel's hostility, as he smelled ogre within the room.  Gabriel could have taken the beast down which was why he had brought the sentinel. He, like the others, had heard the ogres squeal.

Maeve helped the weeping Blair back to his room, and Rhiaordian followed with Gabriel at his heels. "I'm sorry, Blair." Rhiaordian said. "I'll have the spies keep a look out for Jim and order them to take advantage of any opportunities that might come up to rescue him."

Blair nodded. "How could an Aelf betray his people like this, Uncle?" Blair asked.

"I wish I knew, Blair. I can only make guesses. Lord Failon is very ambitious. I know he wants the throne, perhaps he thinks this is the way to do it."

"What if Jim is already dead?" Blair asked in hollow voice as the tears fell down his face. Maeve hugged him, her own eyes filled with tears. Rhiaordian had no answer for his King.

***

Jim regained consciousness with the smell of blood, and ogre in his nostrils. He opened his eyes to find himself in a chamber like the one Blair lived in. The walls were made of stone, and the hearth of the large fireplace had a fire roaring inside it. The walls were covered in tapestries depicting battles. Jim tried to sit up, but his head swam, and he reached up to find the dried blood encrusting his hair where he had hit the wall. His movement rattled a chain that was attached to Jim' collar magically, and the other end was attached to the stone floor. Jim's body felt bruised and he could see the start of some very colorful ones over his bare torso. The bespelled shorts were ripped up one thigh, but were still wearable.

The room seemed to be empty, but the stench of ogre told him that one had been in there recently. His hearing caught the voice of an Aelf speaking in the Aelven tongue. A squeal and a snort told Jim the Aelf was speaking to an ogre on the other side of a solid wood door that Jim suspected led to the man's outer chambers since the room he was in also held a huge canopied bed.

A final squeal and a loud thud followed. The door opened and an Aelf with dark hair with grey streaked through it entered the room. Behind him, Jim could see two ogres dragging the headless body of the ogre that had grabbed Jim. The Aelf walked over to where Jim was, and looked down at him. He said something in the Aelven language Jim did not recognize, then knelt down and grasped Jim's head in his hands. Jim tried to struggle, but the Aelf held him securely. Jim felt a strange warmth through his body and could feel the wound on his head knitting itself back together, and the blood of the bruises dissipating back into he body as he was healed. The Aelf let go of Jim's head, then walked over to a wooden chest. He opened it and drew out a pair of red shorts.

He called for some servants. The people who entered the room made Jim gasp in shock. They were not Aelves, but humans. They wore iron manacles around their wrists, and ankles, and wore only lion cloths. Their backs were covered in stripes caused by a whip, and their manner seemed subdued. The Aelf said something to them. One of the slaves filled up a bucket with cold water, and the others held Jim down and stripped him of the torn blue shorts. Then the slaves washed Jim with a cloth and soap along with the cold water. They cleaned Jim impersonally not even blushing or hesitating when they washed Jim's genitals. When they were done, the slaves dressed him in the red shorts. Jim did not fight them. The slaves were just doing what they were told to do trying to avoid a beating.

When the servants left him alone, Jim curled up into a ball trying to maintain some warmth, the cold water having sapped him of what he had. The Aelf looked at him with an unreadable statement on his Aelven face, then turned around and reached into the chest and drew out a fur blanket, which he tossed in Jim's general direction. Grateful, but still cautious, Jim grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around himself despite the musty smell emanating from the old fur. He sneezed once, then twice when the dust tickled his nasal passages, then buried his head beneath the blanket with only his eyes and the top of his head showing as he watched the Aelf suspiciously.

The Aelf looked at him for a moment, then turned on a booted heel and left the room going through the door that led to the outer chamber. Jim listened to the Aelf's footsteps then heard another heavy wooden door opening, then closing with a loud slam. Jim wrapped himself further up in the fur blanket and closed his eyes. Eventually, sleep found him.

*

Blair had a hard time sleeping that night, and eventually Rhiaordian gave him a cup of tea dosed with Valerian. Rhiaordian slept on the couch in the outer Chamber, and Maeve slept in the other bedchamber with Gabriel sleeping at the foot of her bed. Rhiaordian was taking no chances. Though he had put a shield around the chambers that should block a teleportation spell, Rhiaordian knew that a powerful enough Aelf could break through that shield. If Lord Failon sent another troll through the barrier, then at least Gabriel would be there to protect both Blair and Maeve.

Rhiaordian had sent messages to the spies that were currently watching the castle of Lord Failon. Rhiaordian couldn't get spies inside the castle itself since Failon hired no servants, nor guards. His spies were currently trying to discover how that was possible but so far none had gotten inside the castle itself.

Yawning, Rhiaordian rubbed his eyes as he read over the latest reports from the spies who were watching the ogre/troll army. When he realized he had read the same sentence five times, and it still didn't make any sense, Rhiaordian decided it was time to get some sleep. Standing up, Rhiaordian placed the reports back in their folder, then stood and walked to Blair bedchamber. He peeked in and found Blair resting quietly in the center of the huge bed. Rhiaordian had to wipe tears from his face when he saw Blair's hand was clutching the black ribbon that had been tied around the sentinel's collar. Closing the door to the bedchamber, Rhiaordian returned to the couch. He quietly slipped out of his clothes, then slipped on a nightshirt, then crawled beneath the blankets on the large comfortable couch, and then with a wave of his hand, Rhiaordian turned of the light spheres that hung in their brackets on the walls.

In the bedchamber where Maeve slept hidden beneath the folds of the silver colored duvet, Gabriel in his large cat form lay across the foot of the bed, the tip of his tail twitching every so often. He was awake and alert, unable to sleep since the smell of troll still lingered in the rooms, as well as the smell of sentinel blood. The troll smell angered Gabriel and made him want to rend something with his claws, but it was the smell of sentinel blood that made his eyes glow a deep red, causing a reddish tinge to his vision.

The very fact that the cub had been stolen while Gabriel had been within the area, but the fact a troll of all creatures had stolen him burned Gabriel's blood. Of course, Gabriel didn't understand all the intricacies of the theft and that an Aelf was behind it, so he believed the cub was dead, and he felt he had to avenge that, but unfortunately for Gabriel, his master was not allowing him to go troll hunting. Gabriel would always obey his master, but the need to kill trolls was almost overwhelming and only his loyalty to his master kept him from jumping out a nearby window and following troll scent on a long and satisfying hunt.

**

The opening of the door that led into the bedchamber from the outer chamber awakened Jim. He opened his eyes and lifted his head in time to see the Aelf enter the chamber. The blue spheres of light flared to life casting a blue tinge over the stone walled room. The Aelf looked at Jim, then headed for the tall wardrobe. Two human slaves followed the Aelf into the room, and assisted the Aelf in undressing, and replacing his tunic and leggings with a white night shirt that hung to his knees. The slaves left the room when the Aelf motioned to the door. They kept their heads down as they moved, dejected and beaten. Jim felt pity for them, and wondered what they thought about this strange world they had been dragged to. The Aelf slipped into the giant canopied bed, and drew the curtains to hide him, and the light of the blue spheres dimmed to a faint glow.

Jim winced when the loud snore suddenly emanated from behind the drawn curtains, and he covered his head with the fur blanket and tried to dial down his hearing.

**

Morning came much to early for Rhiaordian, but he was awakened at dawn by a tap on the door. Lord Sef came inside, and looked at Rhiaordian.

"A messenger came by bird. You'll want to hear this." Sef said.

"Alright." Rhiaordian said as he stood up. "I'll meet you in the conference room."

Lord Sef nodded, then left closing the door behind him. Rhiaordian wasted no time. He removed the nightshirt then forgoing a bath, he spelled himself with a cleaning spell, which took away all dirt and sweat from his kin, the redressed in a silk shirt, comfortable leggings, and a leather vest. Slipping on his soft leather shoes, Rhiaordian checked on Blair first finding the young High King still asleep. Smiling, Rhiaordian shut the door quietly, then walked out of the chamber. He made his way to the conference room with the four bodyguard/assassins at his heels.

Inside the conference room was seated the entire war council, which included Lord Sef. Rhiaordian found his seat, and Sef handed him the message. Rhiaordian read it, easily translating the code that it was written in.  "By the gods!" Rhiaordian exclaimed. "How in the name of the Seven Hells could he have created a portal without us knowing!"

"I don't know. But this is worse than we originally thought. He's bringing humans from Earth to enslave. If he wins this war, and becomes High King no doubt that practice will continue. A slave market! There has never been a slave market in our world. Never!"

"Lord Failon is mad. Why would an Aelf ally himself with trolls and ogres, and then bring humans to our world to enslave. And how is it that the trolls and ogres obey him. We are missing something and I fear what that is. It may destroy all if we do not discover it in time."

"The spy was able to enter the castle only by disguising himself first as a troll. The magic he used then shielded him. He then re-disguised himself as a human, shielding that magic. Then when he had explored as much he dared, he teleported himself out of the castle again shielding that from Lord Failon. He died soon after telling a fellow spy all he had learned. He had used to much energy for the spells, and he knew that he would, but felt it was worth it." Lord Sef said.

"Damn." Rhiaordian said. "He didn't need to sacrifice himself like that. There might have been another way."

"He didn't think so and he'd been there longer than the others. The spies also reported that the army has stopped growing and adding to their numbers. They are decimating the wildlife in that area and cutting down the forest for their fires. My other spies believe that the army will be marching soon."

"Also the others are using his example and disguising themselves as humans using non-magical means to enter the caste. Hopefully they should bring back more word soon."

Suddenly the door burst open and a young lord ran into the room breathing heavily as if he had run from one end of the castle to another. In his hands was one of the small message tubes that was usually tied to a messenger bird.

"Lord Sef, this message just arrived. The tube's color had the Master of Birds sending me right away." The young lord said.

Lord Sef stood and took the red tube from the boy. The color told Rhiaordian that the message was urgent. Sef opened the tube and read the small piece of paper to himself.

"The army is on the march. They are headed in a direct line to us. They are burning and looting the villages they come across. The people are fleeing in our direction." Lord Sef said loudly enough for the War Council to hear. There was silence then the sound of expelled breaths filled the air.

Rhiaordian looked at General Bremoth.  "Are our men and women ready?" Rhiaordian asked.

The general's eyes lowered. That was all the answer Rhiaordian needed. The General had been training troops, and sending out draft letters for the past months, but seasoned troops could not be trained from farmers and herders in three months, and the regular standing army was only a thousand strong, not nearly enough for the ten thousand or so troops of ogres and trolls that were headed in their direction.

"Send out troops to protect the people on the roads, and send scouts to locate the army. I want its movements tracked. Tell them not to risk themselves needlessly. I also want the new troops out helping get the grain thrashed and inside the storage barns inside the city. Stop all ships from leaving harbor, and warn away any ships that attempt to enter the harbor. Seize all goods and have them stored.  We will need them for I believe that this will be a long siege." Rhiaordian ordered.

A scribe scribbled down the orders as Rhiaordian spoke, and Rhiaordian placed the seal of the Regent upon the finished orders. Lord Sef took the orders to have them distributed as needed.  Rhiaordian stood and headed for the High King's chambers to inform their King of the latest developments.

****

Jim lay in the back of the wagon drawn by two heavy unicorns facing the back, his eyes on the slaves that marched behind the wagon.  The ragged band of humans were chained to a large log that had handles embedded in the sides. The human used the handle to carry the log, their chains rattling as they moved.

The human looked tired, their eyes haunted by what they had seen and experienced. Their bodies were unwashed, and looked underfed. Every so often one of the humans would lift his eyes and stare at the sentinel that lay in the bed of a wagon. They were puzzled by Jim's presence. While they wore shackles around their wrists and ankles that were used to chain them to the log, Jim wore a collar that chained him to the wagon bed.  Only Henri and Rafe did not look upon Jim with puzzled expressions.  They had not explained Jim's presence to the others because they were not sure they could be trusted with any information. Some slaves would say or do anything to avoid being punished by the ogres.

The army was marching toward Blair's castle at a steady pace. They had passed deserted villages where the ogres and trolls burned abandoned homes gleefully. Each night the fires roasted animal carcasses from beasts that the trolls and ogres hunted. Human slaves turned spits, collected firewood and water, and tried their best to avoid heavy fists.

The only tents were those of Lord Failon and his Aelf supporters.  About thirteen in all, the Aelves rode on unicorn back at the head of the army. They themselves did not bother to punish slaves rather they sent them to a troll or ogre with instructions for their own punishment. They avoided the cookfires where meat dripped fat into the flames, and lifted perfume scented handkerchiefs to their noses from time to time.

Jim slept in Lord Failon's tent on a pile of blankets. Even though meat was available in the camp because of the ogres and trolls Lord Failon refused to feed Jim anything other than the unicorn's milk. Even the human slaves were allowed some meat, mostly what was left on the bones of the carcasses when the ogres and trolls were done eating.

Failon fed him by bottle like Rhiaordian used to do. Jim did not struggle, his fear of the crazed Aelf and what he may do while Jim slept beneath a sleeping spell enough to stall his usual protest.  He had believed Blair's father when the Aelf had told him that no one would ever beat him, thus allowing him his small rebellions.  Within Lord Failon's camp, it was different. Already Jim sported bruises from Lord Failon's strong hand, and once the Aelf had been crazed and angry enough to use a riding crop on Jim's back.

The other Aelves had look disapproving at Failon but said nothing.  Their disapproving stares was the only thing that had stopped Failon from beating Jim to unconsciousness. Though Failon led it was only by mutual agreement between the Aelves. Twelve against one kept Failon in line, at least for a time.

Rafe continued to be the one sent to Failon's tent each night with a bucket of water. The younger detective despite his embarrassment tended to his duties quickly and efficiently not wanting to linger in the tent of a mad Aelf. Each day Rafe sported new bruises, and as he washed Jim, he spoke of the happenings in the camp especially among the humans.  Jim would listen and ask a few questions ignoring the fact that Rafe was washing his nude body.

When Failon and the other Aelves had their war conferences in Failon's tent, Jim remained inside listening to the Aelves. His command of the Aelven language was better since living with Rhiaordian, but still he caught only the gist of the conversation. And what he understood made him fear for Blair. Scouts had reported that the citizenry had fled to the capital and that the walls were shut tight. The only traffic in and out of the city was by ship since the port was well protected by cliffs and walls. Blair's army was not of a size to intimidate much less defeat the mad Aelf's army, and Failon and the others were pleased by this knowledge.

Jim could only huddle in his corner of the tent and listen to their plans and fear for his friends.

****

Blair stood on the balcony to his rooms at the Palace staring down at the crowded city that was his beloved home. The citizens had fled their farms, and villages bringing with them what belongings they could carry. Already they were packed cheek to jowl within the city. Every inn and hostel, stable, and barn was filled to the rafters. All food within the city had been confiscated by the guards and was being passed out equally among the citizenry with the soldiers and fighters getting the best among what they had. The massive gates of the city had been closed and the walls were manned constantly by watchful guards armed with crossbows, and magic. Huge copper pots of boiling oil waited on the walls. Stonemasons, and engineers were busy devising ways to strengthen the walls.

Blair made a mental note to make sure that the streets and sewers were being kept clean. No need to for Lord Failon to invade if everyone died from a plague brought on by uncleanliness.

"Blair." A voice said behind him and Blair turned to see his new wife, Maeve standing at the entrance to their bedroom dressed in a light green silk nightgown. Early morning light highlighted her tousled red hair, and gave her cheeks a faint blush. "What are you doing up so early?" She asked.

"I couldn't sleep." Blair said. Maeve walked over to Blair and placed a hand on his bare arm stroking the skin lightly with her delicate fingers. Blair smiled at her, and placed his other hand over hers stilling the movement of her fingers.

"Will we. I'm not even sure we can win this war. Your father has sent for his reinforcements, but I have not yet heard from the other Kings." Blair frowned at that, his brows creased in frustration and just a hint of anger.

By law, the lesser Kings like Rhiaordian were required to bring their armies when the High King called for them. Not doing so was an act of treason, and those Kings forfeited their crown and lands if they did not obey.

"Are they going to sit this war out?" Maeve asked.

"I hope not. Because even if we win, then I will have to deal with those kings rather harshly." Blair said releasing Maeve's hand. Maeve's hand fell to her side, and she watched Blair stroll into the bedroom they shared. "The council will meet soon, I guess I need to get dressed."

Maeve watched him leave, her heart heavy n her chest.

An hour later, Blair sat in his throne like chair within the council room and listened as the nobles squabbled about food, deployment of troops and complained about all the people within the city. He sighed rather dramatically, which got the attention of the nobles. Blair heard Rhiaordian chuckle beneath his breathe.

"My lords, these subjects do not require the amount of yelling and screaming that is going on here. Food is scarce, I know, but His Highness, King Rhiaordian is having ships of food coming in, and as long as we hold the harbor then we need not worry about supplies.  Yes, it is crowded, but once the ships arrive we will be able to move some of the people to other cities, and the troops will stay deployed along the lines of what King Rhiaordian and myself have commanded."  Blair's voice had a commanding tone to it, and the nobles bowed their heads in acquiescence.

"Has anyone heard any word from the lesser kings?" Blair asked. The nobles lowered their heads and eyes and it was enough of an answer to Blair. "Send a message to our 'ambassadors' within the courts. I want to know what is going on."

The ambassadors Blair knew where spies within the royal courts of the lesser kings. Blair hoped they could shed some light on what the lesser king thought they were doing by ignoring the orders of the High King.

Lord Sef nodded at Blair's order, and with a bow left the room to see to it that the order was carried out. Blair turned to the Lords and Ladies of the council, "Does anyone have anything important to add?" He waited. "Fine, this council is ended." He stood up and left with Rhiaordian at his heels surrounded by the assassin guards.

Once safely in his rooms, Blair turned to Rhiaordian, "What are they doing Uncle?" He did not need to elaborate.

"They are testing you. They want to see if you are as strong as your father." Rhiaordian answered.

"Now is not the time for such petty games! Maybe if I have one of them beheaded the others will fall in line!" Blair growled angrily.

"That might work. But who will you get to behead him?"

Blair looked at Rhiaordian, and then laughed.

"Though I wouldn't suggest it at this time, Blair, it might be your only solution later. They are playing games in the middle of a way. That in itself is treason, and the punishment for treason is beheading after all."

"If it comes to it then I can have one of the assassins within the lesser courts take care of it. I can then send a writ to all the other lesser kings ordering them to deploy their troops or submit to a headsman."

"I'll have it written out." Rhiaordian nodded. He then turned and left the room leaving Blair with his thoughts.

****

Rafe made his way through the camp, head down, back bowed trying not to catch the attention of the trolls and ogres that moved about the camp. Twice an ogre cuffed him when he got to close, one that knocked him to his knees in the dirt, but he counted himself lucky that two was all he received. Eventually, he made it to the small camp of the  slaves having returned from his daily chore of bathing Jim per their master's orders.

Rafe kneeled down beside Henri who was lying on his stomach on his filthy pallet. From his waist, Rafe removed the leather container of water he had filled up at the river, and wetted down a rag torn from the clothing of a dead Aelf.  Henri's back was a bloody mess of deep cuts from the lash of a whip. He had spilled the soup accidentally while it was cooking. The troll commanders gave orders, and Henri was lashed until the skin fell of his back.

Rafe was careful as he cleaned the blood from his friends back. Henri moaned a few times, and Rafe whispered apologies as he worked. Henri reached out and grabbed Rafe's wrist, "Don't apologize, babe. Just do what needs doing....and thanks." Henri said in a low voice that Rafe barely heard. Henri released Rafe's hand, and the younger detective went back to work cleaning off as much of the blood as he could.

When he was done, Rafe went to the river and cleaned the rag avoiding the trolls and ogres. He refilled the canteen and brought it back to their camp. Henri drank as much as he could, then fell into a deep sleep. Rafe sat by his friend and watched over him.

****

Blair took the rolled parchment with its wax seal from the messenger, and with a quick twist of his wrist, he broke the seal and opened the parchment reading silently. Beside him, Maeve and Rhiaordian waited for Blair to share with them the contents of the message. They all stood in quietly in the study, the only sound was the crackle of the fire in the hearth.

Blair re-rolled the parchment, then without seeming to realize it, crushed the delicate paper in his fist. Rhiaordian stepped forward, and Blair turned to look at him. "It is done," Was all Blair said, then he turned tossing the crushed parchment onto his large wooden desk, then left the room. At the doorway, his bodyguards followed him, and the oak door shut with a resounding thud.

Rhiaordian picked up the crushed paper, and smoothed it out as best he could. He read the elegant flowing Aelf script...

Your Highness,

King Ferdor of Blackguard is dead, executed by your order for treason after refusing to send his army to your aid. His elder son, Graer, was made King, and by your order now sends his army south to aid you against your enemies. I remain to be sure that King Graer follows your commands.

Lord Selenor

Rhiaordian tossed the parchment into the flames and watched them burn for a moment, then with his daughter at his side, he too left the study. The third lesser king to die, but it meant three armies on the march. Hopefully, the armies would make it in time to save them all.

Lord Failon stalked towards his newly erected tent just outside the burned village of Demascus. In his hand he held the end of a chain its other end attached to Jim's collar.  The sentinel limped hurriedly behind the angry Aelf trying his best not to be drug. The limp was caused by the deep bruises on his hip and thigh from a beating after having attempted escape. Failon had only stopped beating Jim when one of the other Lords had come upon them, his green eyes staring at Failon disapprovingly, his mouth working as if trying to keep from saying anything. Failon had straightened, dropping the heavy oak branch, still holding Jim by his collar. The Lord's eyes scanned the sentinel's wounds, then nodded to Failon saying that their tents were erected, and the he himself wished to get inside away from the smell of burning flesh. Failon had nodded and agreed that the stench was something less than desirable, and had attached the chain to Jim's collar.

Once inside the tent, Failon changed his grip to Jim's collar again, and threw the sentinel onto the pallet of blankets on the floor at the foot of Failon's cot. Jim managed to catch himself with his arms to prevent more injury, and he flinched when Failon moved to attach the chain to the ground. At that moment a slave came inside, one Jim didn't recognize carrying a tray filled with fruit and a grain porridge. Failon sniffed a perfumed handkerchief as the slave came inside, his head ducked, placing the tray on the folding table. The slave left hurriedly, his eyes never seeing anything except what was at his feet. Failon did not bother to watch him leave, instead he went to his table to eat his dinner. In the corner Jim lay huddled beneath his blankets, his thigh and hip paining him.

The swishing sound of the tent flap being moved has Jim lifting his head from where they rested on his arms in time to see a human slave enter the room. Jim recognized the slave as the one who had been in the tent several times bringing Lord Failon food, and had replaced Rafe a few days ago as the slave sent to bath Jim.  However, Lord Failon wasn't in the tent and Jim had already been bathed a few hours before while Failon had been in the tent studying some maps and scout reports.

The slave came closer and knelt beside Jim. "Hold still, sentinel, and I will try and remove this chain." The human said.

Jim was shocked at the address and asked, "Who are you?"

"I am a spy sent by King Blair. I have used certain means to make myself appear human. I am not the only one." the Aelf turned human said. "I am going to remove this chain then teleport you as far from here as I can. Unfortunately I don't have the strength to teleport you all the way to the palace. But if you go north then you will eventually reach the palace."

"I can't leave my friends here to suffer." Jim said thinking of Rafe and Henri and all the other humans who had been enslaved.

"Friends. You mean the humans. The King will deal with that, sentinel, it is not your concern. I was ordered to try and bring you out if I could without endangering myself. But I cannot bear to see Failon beat you again. It is an outrage that the others allow him to continue." The Aelf said anger evident in his voice.

"It is my concern, they are my friends." Jim growled.

The Aelf shook his head as he removed the chain, sweat rolling down his face from the effort. Taking a deep breath, the Aelf reached out and whispered the incantation that Jim most recognized, and he growled angrily as the spell settled over him.

As soon as the sentinel was asleep, Dirk wiped the sweat from his brow. He had studied the spell used to hold the chain in place, but it had taken a lot of concentration and energy to break it. The shouts coming from outside told him that the Aelves had sensed his use of magic, and where coming for him. With one last spell he teleported the human as far from the encampment as he could. As he collapsed in exhaustion, Dirk smiled. The sentinel was safe, and he knew his sacrifice was worth something.

****

Rafe shuddered as they marched past the long wooden pole with its sharp point. He knew that the Aelf that had been impaled upon the pole had somehow helped Jim escape, and for that Rafe wished that he could stay and bury the man, honor him for his sacrifice. Instead, he was forced to watch as the ogres used a sharpened pole to impale the Aelf while he still lived. The pole had gone through his rectum and intestines until finally the sharpened end had emerged from the Aelf's mouth. The pole had then been placed into a hole in the ground and left there.

"He didn't even scream." Henri whispered. "He laughed at them and taunted them to the end. Damn to have such courage."

Rafe nodded at that. Such courage gave Rafe hope. If all Aelves were as courageous, then perhaps the trolls would be beaten. And the humans would have a chance at freedom.

****

Jim opened his eyes to find himself surrounded by a forest. He blinked and lifted his head, then slowly gained his feet mindful of his bruises.  "He did it." Jim said to himself as he looked around. "The poor bastard did it."  Jim had heard the shouts before he had been placed under the sleeping spell and knew that the Aelf would be killed, perhaps even tortured for what he had done. "The damn brave fool."

Jim wanted more than anything to go back and try and rescue Rafe and Brown along with the other humans. He knew that to do that would just place him back in Failon's custody, and an Aelf had risked his life and had probably given his life, Jim knew, to see to that Jim was free from Failon.

"Damn!" Jim shouted, and birds flew from nearby trees startled. He couldn't go back, he could only go forward. Blair needed to know that humans were being enslaved. He needed to know that among those humans were friends, Henri Brown, and Bryan Rafe.

Growling under his breath, Jim called up on his power and transformed. In his true shape, a large black panther like cat with black wings tucked against his sides, Jim headed north to find Blair, his friend, his guide, and his master.

Power flowed to all four of his limbs, muscles stretched as he leaped, tail balancing each movement that his body made, while his paws felt the earth beneath him, every twig, grass blade, and speck of soil. A human body was so soft, defenseless, and powerless no matter how hard humans wanted to believe in their own strength.

Jim had exercised all his life, relying upon his strength to do his job wether it was on the football field, or in the battlefield. His body had been good physical condition, but even at his peak he was weak and soft compared to the body he moved in now. The cat was the ultimate predator, the culmination of millions of years of evolution designed to cull the herds of herbivores throughout history. From the saber tooth tiger to the Bengal tiger, evolution had formed a powerful beast, and Jim reveled in the feel of being a part of that power.

When he had first came to the Aelven world and found his true form he had been too angry, too resentful to appreciate the form.  Now, he raced through thick woods in that form eating up the miles that would have taken him hours perhaps even days to traverse in human form. Unlike the cats of earth, Jim's true form had stamina almost like a wolf's, and Jim took advantage moving a ground eating pace.  Eventually, he did stop to rest a bit. He did not know how far the Aelf had sent him, but what he did know was that it had been several hours since he had last eaten.

"There's no Aelves around here to bring me a bottle, so I guess I'd better hunt me up some food." Jim said to himself trying to break the silence that surrounded him.

Opening his senses, Jim sensed water nearby. He could hear the splashing as the water hit rocks along its course. He followed the sound and scent until he found the stream. Already his mouth watered at the thought of fresh fish, something he hadn't had in long time.  It was relatively easy for Jim to use his claws to catch a few of the nice sized fish that reminded Jim of trout. He tossed the fish onto the bank where they flopped around until finally dying. When Jim had three fish, he went back to shore and laid down holding one of the fish with his paw. He licked the silvery body, and used his teeth and tongue to tear open the fish to get to the meat inside.

He was half way done with the second fish when a sound made him look up just in time to see a bear like creature emerge from the surrounding bush.  The animal was bear shaped, but had light blue almost silvery fur, and six legs instead of four. Its eyes were blue-green, and it moved with surprising grace. The bear roared at the smell of Jim, and the sentinel snarled flattening his ears against his head.

The bear snuffed and stood on his hind legs, the other four waving the air as he roared again. Looking at the bear that outweighed him by at least three hundred pounds, Jim decided a retreat was in order.  Taking the last fish in his mouth, Jim leaped away moving through the stream as he did.  The bear growled one last time as if to say good riddance, and did not bother to give chase. Instead the animal moved to the stream to catch its own dinner.

Shaken his head, Jim cursed to himself. He had forgotten that he wasn't on the earth he knew. While back home, his true form would make even a grizzly think twice about fighting him, here he was just a cub. Remembering Gabriel's size, Jim wondered what other creatures lived the in woods and how big they would be.  Eventually Jim stopped using his senses to make sure that no big creatures where nearby, he laid back down and finished off the last of his fish.

Once he had finished eating, Jim climbed the nearest tree and found a serviceable branch to rest upon. He closed his eyes, and slept.  Eventually he awoke to he sound of scratching. He opened his eyes and yawned, then looked down toward the sound of scratching.  The strangest looking creature sat at the base of the tree. It looked like beaver, only it had claws like a raccoon, and a black striped beaver like tail. The rest of its fur was black with grey streaks.  The creature scratched the tree sharpening its claws unconcerned by the scent of predator.  Jim knew why almost immediately. The creature might look like a beaver/racoon, but it smelled worse than a skunk, and Jim had no doubts that it could spray that stench on him should he try and attack. Instead, Jim waited until the creature left before even trying to get out of the tree.

Once down, Jim trotted through the woods passing a flowering plant where fairies fluttered about. Like bees, the fairies pollinated the flowers as well as collecting pollen to make into honey. Unlike bees they could not sting any would be thieves. Instead they used a simple magic that hid their hive fairly well. They weren't intelligent like Aelves or humans, but had a hive mind. The magic was natural for the Queen fairy, and as long as the Queen lived the hide was hidden from all but Aelves. Gabriel had explained that to him one day when they had found the palace's hives. Honey was one of the few things that sentinels could eat, but unlike unicorn's milk it wasn't very healthy, and was not permitted except as rare treats. Very rare.

Moving on, Jim ignored the fairies and continued through the woods. He came across other small creature that he didn't recognize. Furry rodentia that scurried away upon his appearance. One rodent wasn't fast enough as a bird swooped down and caught the beast with its talons. Upon seeing Jim the animal fluffed its feathers and screeched loud enough to grate on Jim's ears. Jim wisely left the bird to its dinner.

Some hours later, a familiar sound had Jim moving toward the northeast until he found the creature that made the sound. It was one of the woolly herd creature that Aelves raised for wool. The animal was trapped between two branches that wove together. The woolheads had no sense, and were worse than sheep about getting into entanglements which is why they needed a shepard around twenty four hours.  Jim reached out with his senses hoping to locate the shepard, but finding nothing. Jim looked at the creature that was bleating even louder now that it had caught Jim's scent.

Jim looked around guiltily. There were no Aelves about, and Jim was hungry, and the woolly beast looked very tender and tasty.  The creature bleated louder as Jim got closer, but eventually stopped as its airway was closed off by Jim's jaws.  When the animal was dead, Jim drug it out of the natural trap, and ripped into the animal's stomach.  The meat was tender, like a lambs. The taste of blood and meat was better than unicorn's milk and increased his appetite. While keeping his senses open for other predators, Jim gorged himself on the tender meat.

It wasn't long before the scavengers showed up. Creatures that smelled of death and decay drawn by the scent of blood. Vulture like birds, and hyena like dogs with strange colored fur, and different body proportions stayed at a safe distance while circling the sentinel and his kill. So far no creature bigger than Jim had arrived, and the smaller creatures were quick, but cowardly. Jim realized he should have taken his kill up into a tree, but knew it was too late now. Only a few daring beast darted in to steal some meat and only one came away with a bit of gristle clutched between his jaws. The other had been dealt painful and sometimes deadly blows by Jim's claws.

Finally, Jim was forced to give up what was left when a direwolf showed up. The big wolf snarled, and Jim decided a retreat was in order. The direwolf was bigger than Jim, and outweighed him by fifty pounds. Had Jim been an adult, then the direwolf would not have tried to steal Jim's kill unless he was with a strong pack. As it was Jim was only a cub, and he immediately climbed the nearest tree with a leg bone in his jaws. The rest of the kill went to the lone direwolf.

Up in the tree Jim gnawed on the leg bone which still had a bit of meat left on it. He cracked it open to get to the marrow. When the bone was completely stripped he allowed it to drop to the ground below. The direwolf lifted its head and stared at the cat, then went back to its stolen dinner. The smaller scavengers went for the bone, but complained upon finding that there was nothing left to eat on it.  Jim laughed at their dismay which drew the dire wolf's attention again. The direwolf growled, but Jim only snarled back, safe in the tree.

Eventually, the carcass was picked clean and the direwolf left the area after deciding that Jim wasn't going to come down to fight. When Jim was sure the direwolf was far away, he dropped down out of the tree and continued on his journey, this time following the scent of the woolly beast hoping to find an Aelf settlement.  The scent led Jim to a clearing where he found a pasture empty of any woolly beasts or Aelves. Not far from the pasture was a small town, but Jim knew by the scent on the wind that no Aelves were there.

He went into the village anyway, and found it deserted. He searched through some of the houses, and decided from the evidence that the Aelves had packed up and fled probably heading toward the capital. The scent however was only hours old, and he wondered if he could catch up with the fleeing Aelves. He knew that no one would hurt him, and the collar with its running wolves was still around Jim's neck. He hoped it would identify him as belonging to Blair. The tag was gone however, taken by Failon.

Decided, Jim followed the road north northwest. He knew by the tracks and scent that the Aelves road wagons pulled by unicorns. He followed the tracks at a loping pace hoping to catch up with them, and ride with them back to the palace.

****

"Five ships have docked at the port. The ships are loaded with supplies. Reports have come in that Five thousand soldiers are en route. They are expected to be here at the appointed time."  Rhiaordian told King Blair as the young Aelf sat in his chair before the council table.

"Good, they'll be the hammer that crushes Lord Failon's forces against our anvil. Make sure the supplies are distributed as needed, Lord Malkor." Blair said to a gray haired council member. The Aelf nodded in acknowledgment.

"What about Failon?" Lord Devon asked.

"Our scout reports say he continues to march towards the capital. The populace has fled with only a few stragglers here and there. The trolls are burning the empty villages and killing what livestock was left behind. Failon also has a number of human slaves brought through a portal. Our spies discovered that the portal was on his lands, an old one that hasn't been used for centuries until now."

"When this war is done, have we decided what we are going to do with the human, Your Highness?" Lord Devon asked.

"It will be the Council's decision. However, they are not to be harmed nor will enslavement continue." Blair answered. The human problem, Blair knew, would be a hotly contested issue. But the one thing Blair knew was that none of the humans would be allowed to return for fear that the knowledge of their world would get out. One or two saying something would be dismissed, but the hundreds of humans that had been enslaved would be harder to dismiss.

"The supply ships will continue to bring supplies from the lesser kingdoms. The armies are on the march as ordered, and the human problem will be dealt with after the war is over and Failon and his supporters are dead. Is there anything else that needs to be brought up?" Blair asked.  No one said anything, and Blair dismissed them calling an end to the meeting.

Blair returned to his room with Rhiaordian and the guards following.  He was met at the door by his wife, Rhiaordian daughter, Maeve, and Rhiaordian's sentinel, Gabriel. The big sentinel was in cat form, and was alert, tail lashing in agitation. The cat was good protection should any trolls make their way inside the palace.

"Anything from the scouts about Jim?" Blair asked Rhiaordian.

"Nothing so far, but it takes a few days for me to receive any reports from them. They are mostly disguised as humans and are mingled in the hundred or so humans enslaved at the encampments."

"With still a hundred more or so at Failon's plantation as well as the other traitor lords' homes as well. It is still unbelievable that they have been enslaving human for years under our very noses."

Rhiaordian nodded at that.

*****

Night fell, and while Jim knew he could continue to track after dark, he felt that it was too dangerous. After having run across a bear like beast, and a dire wolf, Jim wondered what other beasts existed that might only hunt at night. Instead, Jim made his way off the hard packed road and into the surrounding forest. He found a good sized tree that he climbed. A wide sturdy branch made a good sleeping place, and Jim laid along its length, and rested his head on his paws closing his eyes.

A howl awoke him with a start, and Jim lifted his head, eyes glowing in the dim light of the moon. Shadowy shapes moved through the forest, and another howl echoed in the night.  Dire wolves, Jim thought. And hunting something.  The dire wolf pack passed Jim's tree, the old scarred leader stopping at the base. The beast looked up, his senses telling him the tree was occupied.  Jim looked down at the scarred leader from his safe perch. The dire wolf growled low in his throat as the other pack members came to stand at his shoulder. Jim snarled, flattening his ears to his head, claws digging into the wood beneath him.

Then, the leader howled, one long note that sent shivers up Jim's spine, then the dire wolf, unafraid of a mere cub, lifted his leg to the tree, and continued on searching for prey. The other direwolves followed their leaders example, until finally the direwolves were far away.  Jim watched them leave, following the pack with his senses, then laying his head back on his paws.

Eventually morning came, and Jim made his way down out of the tree and onto the solid ground. Following his senses, Jim located a stream where he lapped the water, senses alert for any predators. Once he quenched his thirst, Jim used his paws to catch a few fish from the stream, and then laid down on the soft mossy ground to eat his breakfast.

When he was done, Jim licked his muzzle and paws clean, then proceeded to find his way back to the road.  He was almost there when he was knocked off his paws and sent rolling on the ground. He moved to his feet as quickly as he could snarling, when he was hit again by a gray blur and felt teeth sink into his shoulder.  Jim snarled in pain and anger, and managed to twist getting his back claws into the belly of whatever had attacked him.

The beast whined, and jumped back, and Jim got a look at his  assailant.  A bitch, pale gray in the morning light. There was no sign of her pack, and Jim figured her for a lone dire wolf. He also saw her distended belly and mammary glands and knew her to be nursing a litter.  Which is probably why she attacked me, Jim thought.  

The she-wolf was smaller than a male dire wolf, but still bigger than Jim. She was also bleeding on her belly from Jim's claws, and her muzzle had Jim's blood staining the grey fur.  While the dire wolf had teeth and speed, Jim had both speed, teeth and claws, but the fight would almost certainly go to the she-wolf for she was older, bigger and more experienced.  Jim wanted nothing more than to back away leaving the she-wolf to her cubs, but he had no way of doing that.

Jim tensed as the she-wolf leaped again, and then tried desperately to get her off him as he rolled, and bit trying to use his claws while the she wolf tried her best to get his throat between her teeth.  At one point Jim managed to roll to his back, and as before he placed his back paws beneath her and instead of clawing he threw her away from him, then rolled to his feet ready to meet her leap.

Therefor he was surprised when the she wolf leaped then fell short as a bolt of blue light hit her side and dropped her to the ground. Jim turned toward the direction the light came from to see an Aelf standing next to a tree dressed in green and brown clothing that was obviously homespun. Jim was just glad that it wasn't Failon or any of his people.

The Aelf moved slowly toward Jim as if unsure wether or not the sentinel would attack him. Jim for his part just sat on his haunches and waited. He turned his head to lick a wound on his shoulder watching the Aelf who quickened his step a bit deciding that the collared sentinel was tame.

Jim didn't fight or jerk away when the Aelf knelt down beside him placing a hand on his head, and carefully checking the bite wounds.

In Aelven the Aelf spoke, "Poor little guy, that she-wolf nearly had you for a second. Good thing I came along when I did."

Jim only understood a few words out of the sentences, but understood that the Aelf talking about the wolf.

"No who do you belong to, and why are you out here." the Aelf said as he reached grasping Jim's collar to get a better look. Jim let him not offering to fight, knowing that this was his chance to get back to Blair.

"Running wolves," the Aelf said. "That sounds familiar, but I don't remember..." He trailed off as he tried to think.  Shaking his head, "Well, boy, I haven't seen a sentinel in quite a long time, but I know it isn't safe for you out here. Maybe if you were grown, but you're still just a cub." The Aelf removed a long strip of leather from a pouch, and tied it securely around Jim's collar. Then he tied the other end to a tree branch. "You wait right here, I'm going to go and get my things that I dropped, and then we can go. Don't worry that she wolf won't wake up for a few more hours." He patted Jim's head then headed in the direction he came from. Jim had understood enough to know that the Aelf was coming back, therefor rather than struggling to free himself, Jim laid down and began to clean his wounds.

It was not long before the Aelf came back carrying a leather pack, a walking stick and a bundle of wood. The Aelf came over and knelt down beside Jim removing items from his pack after setting down his stuff. The Aelf rubbed an ointment on Jim's wounds, and added a bit of magic that helped with the pain and began the process of healing. Once that was done, the Aelf untied him, and grasping the makeshift leash he led Jim away from the scene of the fight.

Jim followed the Aelf through the forest in his winged panther form wondering how far the Aelf planned to go. The Aelf would glance back at Jim every so often with a reassuring smile, and Jim could see the light of sanity and sense in the Aelf's eyes, and the smell of pine, cedar and other woodsy smells that came from the Aelf which added to Jim's comfort that the Aelf was not anything like Falion.

Eventually the woods gave way to a clearing where trees had been chopped down to make the two story wood log home that stood in the middle of the clearing. Near the house was a barn, a rock pen that held the woolly creatures, and a well. The door opened and an Aelven women wearing a brown homespun dress with a clean white apron stood in the doorway.

"Matrim Stonewell!! Have you lost all your senses!! That's a sentinel!" The woman exclaimed. "We can't afford a sentinel, where did you steal him from!"

"I didn't steal him, Aileen, honest. Found the poor mite being attacked by a she-wolf!" Matrim tried to defend himself, and Jim laughed inside at the affronted tone. He understand enough of the ocnversation to realise the woman was probably his wife. And berating him.

At Matrim's explanation the woman's demenour changed, and she came out of the house to meet them kneeling down as she exclaimed, "Oh the poor thing!" She grasped Jim's head in her hands gently and examined the wounds left by the dire wolf. "You did a right good job of healing them, Matrim. I guess there be some use to ya after all." Her words were sharp but her eyes and slight smile said she was used to teasing her husband, and the man took it all in stride.

"Well let's bring the poor cub inside. Matrim go and milk Tessa. She has more than enough for her colt and this cub." Aileen told her husband. The Aelf nodded handing over the makeshift leash to his wife, then grabbing a milking pan, headed for the barn.

Aileen took the leash and led Jim inside the house. Shutting the door, the Aelf woman removed the leather thong from Jim's collar, then she examined the relief figures on the gold frowning, her eyes pensive as she tried to think. "I've seen these before, but where?" She mumbled to herself.  Shaking her head figuring it would come to her when she wasn't brooding on it, Aileen went to an old trunk and pulled out some blankets. She made a nest of blankets before the fireplace, and guided Jim with a hand on his furry shoulder to the nest.

Grateful for the warmth and the bedding, Jim curled up in the nest tucking his long tail aorund hi haunches and over his back paws, as he rested in head on his front paws, and his eyes closed. Not yet asleep he was aware of the Aelf woman using a soft wet cloth to clean his wounds then adding an ointment to them.

The door opened, and then closed, and Matrim walked over to the kitchen area placing the now filled bucket on the iron stove. Aileen stood and went over to her husband. "We should still have the bottles from when we fed that lamb whose dam died." Aileen said. Matrim nodded and they looked throught he hand carved wooden cupboards to

find the bottle made of glass with its lambskin nipple. Aileen heated the milk on the iron stove, then poured the contents into the bottle.  Matrim hauled in more firewood to add to the stove and the fireplace.

After handing the bottle to Matrim, Aileen set to work on cooking a vegetable stew for their dinner. Matrim took the bottle and placed it on a table next to his big comfortable chair. He reached down and picked up Jim easily, and carried him over to the chair. Matrim settled himself into the chair, and held Jim in his lap. He placed the nipple to Jim's mouth. The sentinel sighed internally, but took the nipple into this mouth and suckled taking in the warm unicorn's milk while Matrim petted his dark fur.

"Do you recognize the markings on the collar?" Matrim asked his wife.

"No, but they seem familiar to me." Aileen answered stirring the pot of vegetable stew.

"Tomorrow I'll take him into Hogsgrow. Sgt. Teague might be able to shed some light on this mystery."

"Perhaps." Aileen said.

When the bottle was empty, Matrim placed Jim back on the nest of blankets then went into the kitchen to seta himself at the big wooden table he himself had made. Aileen dished out the stew into a couple of earthenware bowls, and they ate their dinner quietly, while in his nest Jim slept peacefully for what seemed the first time in a long time.

Jim was awakened early the next morning by the movements of the Aelves. Matrim came down the ladder that led to their loft bedroom dressed in leathers. Aileen Stonewell followed down wearing a dress similar but not the same to the one she had worn the day before.

Jim still in winged panther form yawned and stretched and stood up as Aileen entered the kitchen and began to prepare breakfast while Matrim went outside with a water bucket to draw water from the well.

Aileen lit the stove, and placed a few logs into the fire, then used an iron hook to close the door. Matrim cam inside with the bucket full of water and placed it on the wooden counter.

"Go and get some milk, Matrim, then bring in some more wood. Its getting a might chilly in here." Aileen told her husband sending him off with a kiss to the cheek.

While Matrim was out of the house, Aileen set up some pans on the stove, and began to cook. She used grains and fruits to make porridge. When Matrim came in with the mare's milk, Aileen poured the milk into a pan setting it on the stove while Matrim went back out to get some wood to get the fire in the fireplace started.

When the milk was warm, Aileen poured it into a shallow pan, and placed the pan on the stone floor in front of Jim who was pleased not to have to drink the milk from a bottle. Though he still wished he could drink like a man instead of an animal, Jim lapped up the warm milk.

Matrim returned with wood, and restarted the fire in the hearth. then he sat down with his wife at the table and they ate breakfast.

"I'll finish some chores, then I'll take the sentinel into town and talk to Sgt. Teague."

"I've heard some strange rumors about trolls and such, I want you to ask Teague about it." Aileen said. Jim looked up at the word trolls, but neither saw nor smelled any alarm from the two Aelves. He returned to his breakfast content that he was safe for the moment.

Blair read over the document looking for any mistakes and feeling like an ogre himself for what he had to do. The proclamation had been written by Blair himself, with only a little help from Rhiordian. It concerned the human slaves, and it made Blair want to cry for them, but he could not change anything however much he wished he could.

"Its best for them. You know why. They'll be safe, and as happy as they can be. They won't have to worry about being slaves." Rhiordian said.

"There's that I suppose, but..." He was interrupted by a messenger.

"Sir, we just received word from one of our spies, Your Highness." The messenger said waving a message tube.

Rhiaordian took the tube and dismissed the messenger. He opened it and read it.

"One of our spies decided he couldn't stand around and watch Jim being beaten by Falion, and snuck into Falion's tent and sent Jim by transport spell far away from the encampment. The spy was caught, tortured and finally killed."

Tears filled Blair's eyes, "I want the name of that Aelf, Rhiaordian. Hi family is to want for nothing ever. Any word on where Jim was sent?"

"No. They could not determine that. Neither could Falion thank the goddess. "

"Have the patrols keep an eye out for him. Come, I have to inform the Council of my decision concerning the human slaves."

"Blair I know you don't like it, but none of the humans can return. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this sooner. I never thought it would be factor."

"I didn't know that portals were dangerous to humans. Goddess, how many humans died when Falion and his followers brought them here. And those who survived could never survive another trip through the portals. It would literally tear them to pieces. I think I needed to know this!!"

"I'm sorry Blair, I never thought it would be an issue that would come up."

"Now it has, and I must deal with it. they will be safe on the island. they will be allowed to live out their lives and raise their children, and even eventually establish trade with us. Goddess, Rhiaordian, can you believe that there will be a human settlement in our world. I never thought to see that. But then I never thought to see Aelves ally with Ogres either."

"This is definitely a time of change, Blair. Too much change for some of us older Aelves. The world will soon belong to the young. They will need your guidance."

"May I guide them well." Blair said.

After breakfast, Matrim went outside to finish his morning chores before he took the sentinel into the nearest town to hand over to Sgt. Teague.

The sheep like animals were fed as was the unicorn mare. He split some logs for firewood, then hoed the garden patch. When he was done, he came inside and cleaned up pulling on a fresh shirt.

Jim, still in winged panther form, was laying in front of the fireplace, dozing with a full stomach. He woke completely when Matrim touched his head. Jim looked up at the kind Aelf and did not protest when Matrim tied a long piece of leather rope to Jim's collar.

The woman gave her husband a wrapped parcel of food, and a goodbye kiss. She gave Jim one last stroke of his fur, then stood at the door watching as they dissapeared into the forest.

Jim followed at Matrim's heels eagerly. He felt hat he was closer to returning to Blair with each step.

It took five hours of walking tor each the village with frequent stops for rest and water. The first tiem they stopped, Matrim drank from a canteen, then poured some of the water into his cupped hand. Jim was hesitant at first, but then thirst prevailed and Jim lapped up the water.

When they reached the village, Matrim stopped and stared as the villagers appeared to be packing up, placing their belongings into wagons.

A shout brought Matrim from his shock as he saw Sgt. Teague trotting over to him.

"What is going on?" Matrim asked.

"Matrim thank the goddess. I was going to send a soldier to your house to warn you. The ogre army is heading this way, and we've been ordered to evacuate and head for the capital." Teague said, then looked down, "Matrim, where did you get him at?"

"I found him in the woods being attacked by a dire wolf. He has a collar but I don't recognize the markings. I was hoping you would." Matrim explained.

Sgt. Teague kneeled down next to Jim who was on his haunches and examined the collar.

"That the royal sigil! This sentinel belongs to the royal family!" Teague exclaimed.

"What's he doing way out here?" Matrim asked.

"I believe he was stolen. We'll take him with us. Matrim, I'm sending a wagon and one of my men with you to help load up and evacuate. The soldier will be able to direct you to the capital."

Matrim handed the rope to Teague, "Alright, if you think it is neccessary."

Teague took the leash and motioned to one of his men. The Aelf soldier came forward, and then after listening to Teague's orders, showed the Aelf, Matrim, to an empty wagon. Together, the two Aelves took the wagon into the woods heading for Matrim's home.  Teague led Jim over to a wagon that was being loaded by some guards. He tied the end of the long lead to a ring on the wagon, and then moved to help the other guards load the wagons.  The leash was long enough that Jim was able to lay down beneath the wagon while around him Aelves readied themselves to abandon their village.

Finally, the wagons were loaded, and Jim leaped into the wagon he was tied to, and laid down on top of some wooden crates. A guarded seated himself at the front of the wagon and took up the reins. Ahead of them other wagons began moving. Only children and elderly Aelves rode in the wagons, while the others walked. Older children handled the reins. the guards, however, rode unicorns, ever alert to what the surrounding forest might hide.

JIm dozed through the journey, the slow movement of the wagons and the warm sun making him drowzy.  *I really am a cat*, Jim thought as he stretched and yawned. He hoped that Matrim and his wife got out safely beofre the Ogre army showed up.

They stopped only to rest the unicorns who were more hardy and stronger than horses so that they did not stop as frequently as they would have with horses.  Sgt. Teague designated himself to care for the royally owned sentinel. He made sure Jim had water and was fed pans of unicorn milk.  When night fell, the people set up camp, and the children slept in the wagons, while the adults slept beneath them. The guards had bedrolls, and after a hot meal of vegetable stew, they rolled into their bed while others took their turns at watch.

Jim jumped off the wagon he was tied to. Teague did not untie him, so Jim dug a hole with his paws, and did his business burying the evidence. He then found a soft patch of grass beneath the wagon where he curled up and went to sleep.

The wagon train traveled for three days before they reached the castle of the Baron of the province. The baron’s castle was already accepting as many of his villagers as he could. The gates were opened and the drawbridge down while guards watched the line of wagons and Aelves that moved over it. They also watched the horizon for any sign of ogres.

Their wagons joined the others in the crossing of the moat into the castle grounds. Aelves whose faces had been drawn down with sadness and grief brightened a bit at the sight of Jim lying on top of the crates in the wagon. Children in the groups that had been subdued before found reason to play near the wagon.

A captain to whom he saluted met Sgt. Teague. They walked away from the wagons to speak, and to see the baron. Jim watched them go, while the guards and villagers unloaded the wagons.

Tents had to be set up for the incoming villagers. All the rooms in the few inns and in the homes of the people living within the walls of the castle were full, as were the rooms in the castle itself. Food was being brought in by the wagonloads. The nearby farms had been harvested under the watchful eyes of troops, and their bounty brought in to feed the refugees flooding into the castle.

When the wagon Jim was in had been unloaded, one of the men untied Jim from the wagon, and led him toward the castle. Jim followed giving them no trouble.

The captain and Sgt. Teague met them at the castle walls with another Aelf richly dressed.

“His Highness will be happy to know that his sentinel is safe.” The baron said. “I sent a message to his Highness once I heard. Bring him inside, I have a healer ready to look him over.”

They turned and walked up the stone stairs into the castle through large wooden doors. Just inside the castle was the foyer and it was filled with Aelves who were setting up sleeping places for themselves and their children.

They carefully maneuvered through the crowd. Jim felt hands rub against his fur, mostly small hands, as they walked to the stairs.

Waiting at the top of the stairs was another sentinel. A full grown white tiger like male.

“You smell of hurt and blood, cub. What has happened?” The tiger asked him in their language.

“Quite a lot.” Jim answered.

“I smell dire wolf.” The tiger growled, “How dare once such as they seek to hurt one of our cubs.”

Jim tried his best not to laugh. The tiger was serious after all.

At the top of the stairs the tiger fell in beside Jim taking a protective stance. The baron smiled at his sentinel and patted the white tiger’s head. “Well, Talon, are you going to protect this young cub?” The baron said in a friendly tone.

They entered a room where a female Aelf waited. The female was a healer and used her talents to heal the wounds Jim had received from the traitor Aelf, and the dire wolf.

After he was healed, the healer placed a sleeping spell on him.

When he awoke, Jim was back in his human body. He could tell that he had been bathed, fed, and a new pair of shorts had replaced the torn ones. He was lying on the foot of a bed. Behind him the white tiger lay, guarding Jim’s sleep. Jim lifted his head when the door opened. He was surprised to see a familiar face with the baron.

Rhiannon, the Huntress, walked into the room with the baron at her side. “His majesty sent a few of us to keep an eye out for his sentinel ever since we learned that he had been rescued from Falion’s clutches.”

“To think some of our own would do such a thing to a sentinel. Falion should die a hundred deaths for his traitorous ways.” The baron said.

“His Highness agrees with you. Now, I am sorry to be rude, Baron Niall, but I must needs to take this sentinel back to his master before the ogres get this far, and we are trapped within your walls.”

“Of course.” The baron nodded.

Rhiannon walked over the bed, and attached a leash to Jim’s collar. Jim slid off the bed, and followed Rhiannon out the door.

Two unicorns were waiting in the courtyard. One was saddled and bridled. The other wore only a halter with a rope connecting it to the saddle of the other unicorn. On the unicorn’s back was just a riding pad that Jim could either ride in his human form, or in his cat form.

Jim decided to stay in his human form, and swung up easily onto the unicorn’s back after Rhiannon removed the leash from Jim’s collar.

Rhiannon mounted up on her black unicorn, and urged the animal into a fast trot through the courtyard, and out the gates. The red unicorn Jim rode followed while Jim held on to a handful of dark red mane, and his legs were clamped around the unicorn’s barrel.

Once across the bridge, Rhiannon nudged her mount to a full gallop, the led unicorn following.

They headed out onto the road that would eventually lead them to the capital.

The galloped for a few hours, then slowed to a walk to rest the unicorns. The animal’s were only slightly tired, their stamina greater than any earth horse. After an hour’s walk they broke into a quick trot that helped to eat up the miles.

They were perhaps a day’s ride from the capital when the ogre attacked.

Rhiannon was knocked out of the saddle when the ogre rammed into her unicorn. The ogre’s claws tore open the unicorn’s neck gushing blood. The red unicorn reared in fright with Jim holding on desperately. Rhiannon stood up prepared to take on the ogre, when a troll grabbed her from behind, and broke her body in half howling. Jim looked at the troll with Rhiannon’s body in horror, then jumped from the unicorn transforming into his cat form.

He ran, the troll and ogre behind him gaining with every step. In his blind run, Jim did not see the river until it was nearly too late. At the water’s edge he had to stop, for the raging current pounding over sharp rocks was too wide to leap, and too dangerous to swim. He turned to see the ogre and the troll coming for him. He looked back at the river, but before he could decide to make a choice, a roar interrupted, and then a large mass of yellow and black hurled out of the trees and onto the troll, the bigger of the two creatures. Powerful jaws closed around the heavy skull of the troll, and a crack signaled the breaking of bone. The ogre lifted its axe and tried to swing at the adult sentinel, but Gabriel easily avoided the swing, and leaped upon the ogre bringing it to the ground, then ripped out the ogre’s throat.

Gabriel stepped back from his kills, blood and brain matter covering his jaws.

“Ugh, they taste as bad as they smell.” Gabriel said. He then looked at Jim, “Are you okay, Jim?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks to you.” Jim answered.

“Good. I was afraid you were dead when that ogre took you. They like to eat sentinels if they can catch them, but they won’t take on an adult sentinel if they can help it.” Gabriel explained while he padded over to the river to wash off the blood.

“I can see why. Did Rhiaordian send you?” Jim asked.

“No, I smelled trolls in the area, and decided to go hunting. Fortunately, I managed to find you, so perhaps master will not be too upset with me for sneaking away.”

“Maybe so.” Jim said.

“Come cub, let’s go. There are other trolls in the area. Now that I have found you alive, I do not wish to lose you again to these foul creatures.”

Jim followed the big black spotted sentinel through the forest. With Gabriel protecting him, Jim felt that no ogre or troll would dare to get near them. Then perhaps, they would make it home, and Jim could tell Blair of the plight of their friends, and the other humans Falion had enslaved.

Fortunately, Gabriel knew the way, and Jim followed the older sentinel Eventually, they came out of the forest and into plowed lands. Jim could see the capital city, and the ocean beyond it. The walls of the city were closed, and ships sailed in the sea protecting the port.

“How are we going to get in?” Jim asked.

“The same way I got out. Come on.” Gabriel answered.

The older sentinel led Jim to the city’s walls. By the time they got there darkness had fallen, but it was no problem for the two sentinels with their enhanced sight.

Gabriel led Jim through a sewer tunnel that was no longer used. It was a tight fit for Gabriel, and would be an even tighter one for an ogre or troll. The sewer led them to the docks, and from there they made their way to the palace avoiding guards. It was obvious to Jim that Gabriel wanted to make his own way back to his master, Rhiaordian, and not to be taken to him on the end of a leash by a guard.

At the palace, Gabriel shifted, and used human hands to open a door into the kitchens. He did so silently since there were still servants working there. They both hid behind some barrels, then Gabriel shifted back, and they cautiously made their way out of the kitchen, and into the main area of the palace. Once there, Gabriel ceased his stealth, and bounded up the stairs with Jim at his heels.

Gabriel scratched on Blair’s door with his right paw. Rhiaordian, whose face said he knew Gabriel had been absent, opened the door but his face changed when he saw Jim beside the leopard spotted sentinel.

“Blair! Its Jim!” Rhiaordian shouted behind him.

Rhiaordian opened the door wider to let the two sentinels into the room. Jim shifted from his cat form to human form as he saw Blair rush from his bedroom into the sitting room.

Jim was shocked when Blair wrapped the sentinel in his arms and hugged him till his ribs creaked. “Oh, thank the goddess you’re alive.” Blair said in English.

“Easy, Chief. Some people might get the wrong idea here.” Jim answered with a chuckle.

Blair stepped back, “Only you.” He said, and it seemed to say everything.

“Blair, we’ve got problems. That damn Aelf is enslaving humans.” Jim said suddenly serious.

“We know. Our spies reported that information to us.” Blair said sadly.

“It’s a bit worse than that. Rafe, and Brown are among those human slaves.”

“Bryan Rafe, and Henri Brown!” Blair was shocked. “Are you sure?

“I spoke with Rafe. He told me about Henri.” Jim answered.

“They were lucky to survive.” Blair mumbled.

“What do you mean?” Jim asked.

“The portal kills one out of every four humans that are brought through it.” Blair answered.

“He has hundreds of human slaves! How many did he kill! The bastard. Some of them are children!” Jim was even angrier then he had been when he first saw the human slaves.

“It gets worse Jim. They can’t ever go back. One trip is taking a chance, but a second time will surely kill them all.” Blair continued his explanation.

“What’s going to happen to them; you going to make pets out of them, too? Or maybe keep them enslaved?” Jim’s anger was not abated.

“No, of course not! I’ve already made preparations should we win this war. There’s an uninhabited island, fairly large off the coast further south. They will be given that land, supplies and such, and be allowed to live there. They can even trade with us once they start making products.”

“A colony of humans in this world. I am betting your council is finding that idea very strange, and disconcerting.” Jim replied.

“They are, but they’ll get over it.” Blair said. “However, we have to first win this war.”

“Can you?” Jim asked seriously.

“I think we can.” Was Blair’s answer.

Their conversation had to end. Blair had a war meeting to go to as did Rhiaordian. Blair’s wife, Maeve, went with them leaving Jim and Gabriel in the rooms.

Blair had ordered baths to be filled for them, but made sure the servants would leave them alone to bath themselves. Jim was grateful for that.

After taking a bath, and redressing in new shorts, the two of them retired to their respective bedrooms. Jim slept on Blair and Maeve’s bed, while Gabriel slept on Rhiaordian’s bed.

Within the next five days, Blair received reports that the army was nearly at the capital. From all the spies’ reports, Blair knew that Falion and the others were counting on the lower kings to keep out of the fight, and wait to see what the young High King would do. Fortunately, Falion did not count on Blair’s own ruthlessness in dealing with the lower kings. So while Falion’s army made its way to the walls of the capital city, the lower kings’ armies were maneuvering themselves around Falion’s army.

When the army reached the walls, it began its siege. Siege engines built by human slaves overseen by ogres were used to hurl large boulders at the walls. The army made its camp outside the walls, and continued its siege throughout the day and night. The Aelf traitors used some magics, but the powerful Aelves from the temples easily countered it. The walls were also magically reinforced so that the hurling boulders did little damage. And soldiers on the wall with bows took care of the ogres that tried to use scaling ladders to get over the walls. Boiling oil and pitch was also a favorite among the Aelves at discouraging the invading ogres and trolls.

Falion and the other traitor Aelves continued to send wave after wave of ogres and trolls against the walls, while they remained behind in safety planning their attacks. The traitors were so arrogant of their win that they did not bother to send scouts out behind them.

Five days into the siege, just as Blair predicted, the armies of the lesser kings attacked the besieging army, and they were the Hammer striking the army against the Anvil that was the capital walls.

The war that would have lasted a hundred years if the lesser kings had not been brought into the battle was finished in three days after the first attack by the armies of the lesser kings.

When the trolls and ogres were fighting against the armies of the lesser kings, Blair opened the gates and sent his own army out to crush the invaders.

Falion and his men were captured alive to be tried in an Aelf court. When the last of the ogres and trolls were gone, the Aelf soldiers went out among the encampment, and freed the human slaves. Healers went out with them, and helped as they could. Any wounded, dying trolls or ogres were dispatched by soldiers; no healer would demean themselves by healing such monstrosities.

The now freed human slaves were brought into the capital and housed at the temples were they received further care.

King Blair dressed according to his station and wearing his father’s crown, visited the temples with his sentinel at his side. It was there they found both Henri and Rafe alive.

The humans were understandably angered and saddened by the news that they would not be able to return home. They accepted Blair’s word that they would never be enslaved again, and they would be allowed to live peacefully on their own land.

A month later, ships waited in the port for their passengers. The holds were filled with supplies, food, and water along with building tools, and animals. The humans were waiting on the docks to board the ships that would take them to their new home. Jim and Blair were down at the attacks saying their goodbyes to two friends, and wishing the others a good journey.

When finally the passengers were all on board, Blair and Jim stood alone on the dock watching the ships disappear into the horizon marking the beginning of a new age in the Aelven world. When the last ships were gone from even sentinel sight, the two of them turned and headed up the docks towards the palace and hopefully within time a new life free of collars and tradition.

Epilogue

Within a hundred years Blair was able to change the law concerning sentinels. By that time the council members had slowly been replaced as each one either died or retired. Blair chose a younger member of the councilor’s family, and in doing so Blair kept the peace among his nobles. When he had enough councilors who supported Blair, the young High King brought forth the petition to free sentinel from their bondage. It took no more than an hour for the law to be changed.

However, Jim and the other sentinels were unable to return to their earth. Because of their human heritage, they would not be able to safely pass through the gate a second time. Instead, they lived with their former masters, or lived among the human settlement. Jim decided to stay with Blair, and he had his own rooms, and wore regular clothing, and no collar.

During the hundred years wait; Jim and Blair visited the human settlement twice. The first time to say a final goodbye to Henri Brown as his body was committed to the earth. The second was for Rafe only a few months after Henri died. Rafe was buried beside his friend and partner.

At the end of his lifespan, Jim took to staying in his cat form finding it easier to move about for his old bones. Blair would sometimes find him sleeping on the window alcove of Blair’s sitting room, soaking up the sun. Blair, with his hair holding only a few strands of gray, had become one of the best High Kings that the Aelven Kingdom ever had. His first son, Simon, was named Crown Prince and Blair arranged a marriage for him by the time the boy was three years old. Blair and Maeve had three more children after Simon, two boys and a little girl. Jim watched over Blair’s family happily. He had learned from the Aelf soldiers how to fight with a sword, and became the personal bodyguard for the royal family.

Some three hundred years after sentinels were freed, Blair entered his sitting room after having come back from a meeting with representatives from the human settlement. He saw Jim, in his cat form, gray streaking through the once shiny black fur, laying on the alcove, the sun shining through the glass. Jim lifted his head, and opened his eyes to look at Blair. The sentinel smiled in his own catlike way, and when Blair smiled back, Jim laid his head down once more, and closed his eyes. He never opened them again.

Blair mourned his friend for many years afterwards, and every week he visited the grave that held his sentinel, bodyguard and best friend. He would lay some flowers on the ground, and then step back. The High King would then look up into the sky and say, “Hello, Jim.” And then proceed to tell his friend about his day.

The End