Setting:
The Kingdom of Valas. The sun is shining on the majestic castle.

Characters: Parn / Deedlit
Shiris / Orson
Etoh / Liara
Slayn / Lelia

Parn and the others have arrived in Valas to prepare a wedding celebration for him and Deedlit. They are standing in the main reception hall where many of the gatherings are held. It is in this same room where Parn and his friends had attended a party prior to the War of Heroes.

Parn: (awed look on his face) You mean that this is where Princess Fiona said that we can hold our wedding reception?

Deedlit: Yes, amazing isn't it?

Etoh: (smiling to Slayn) Princess Fiona felt that this is befitting for them. In fact she even wants to have Deedlit and Parn stay here as part of her royal advisers. I did tell her though, that two people such as they would be hard to keep in one place.

Slayn: That's for sure. Parn and Deedlit are free spirits, meant to roam free.

Parn and Deedlit begin to look around and Slayn, Lelia, Etoh, and Orson follow them. Liara begins to walk to one of the outer balconies Shiris sees her and goes after her. .

Liara: (sad faced, sighing) I guess it wasn't meant to be.

Shiris: Hey kid what's eating you?

Liara: Huh? Oh nothing.

Shiris: (giving her a look) Yeah right I can probably figure it out. You like Parn too, huh?

Liara: (shocked) How did......

Shiris: How did I know? You have the same look that I had when I realized that there was no separating those two. (nods her head in the direction of the others)

Liara: You mean that you were in love with him too?

Shiris: (leaning on the rail facing away from Liara) Maybe not in love, more like I am extremely drawn to him. He gives off a kind of 'Naiveté', thing that makes him so attractive, you know?

Liara: (looking more down) So I guess that there is no chance that he might suddenly decide to leave Deedlit?

Shiris: (smiling) Lets put it this way, he leaped into the heart of evil for that girl, so I don't think that it will happen any day soon. Come on they will probably be waiting for us.

From the outer hall the blast of a trumpet is heard, signaling the arrival of someone important. Shiris and Liara rejoin the group to see who it is. A set of five horses arrive and the lead rider is recognized by everyone (except Liara)..

Parn: (eyes lighting up) He's here. King Kashue has arrived.

Liara: (in shock) You mean, that that is THE King Kashue of Flame? The Mercenary king? Why is he here?

Deedlit: (laughing) Well lets go down and find out.

The group arrives in the main courtyard just as King Kashue and his men Dismount their horses. King Kashue's eyes light up as he sees the group. He moves to Parn who respectfully bows. .

Kashue: (smiling) It is good to see you again Parn. I received word of your wedding and came here to offer my congratulations, to you and to Deedlit. (he moves to Deedlit who curtsies as he kisses her hand)

Deedlit: (smiling) Thank you my lord.

Kashue: (spying Liara) Ah. I see you have added a new member to your party. And who might you be?

Liara: (nervously) My name is L..Liara. (she attempts a rather feeble curtsy, this causes Kashue to laugh)

King Kashue: That's all right no need to be so formal.

Back inside the castle Parn and Kashue are speaking. .

Kashue: (looking to Parn) I must say I had expected you two to marry at some point but I find it hard to believe that it could be so soon. Why I remember the first time we met at the war rally, you could barely hold your sword, but you were so eager to be as great a knight as your father. I saw great potential in you and to be honest you surpassed even my greatest expectations of you.

Parn: Thank you. So how long will you be here?

Kashue: Well I am hopping to stay as long as the ceremony and the reception but then must return to my kingdom.

Parn: I see. Well.... (Parn is interrupted as Deedlit comes down the hall and grabs Parn's arm)

Deedlit: (smiling) I hope I am not interrupting anything, but there is something I would like to show Parn. That is if you don't mind King Kashue.

Kashue: Of coarse not, go ahead.

Deedlit: Thank you, come on Parn. (she begins to tug on is arm)

Parn: Oww, OK I'm coming I'm coming.

. Cut to outside Liara and Shiris.

Liara and Shiris are walking outside on the castle court yard. Liara looks as though she is very embarrassed and Shiris is smiling. .

Liara: I can't believe it, I am in the kingdom of Valas talking with knights, princesses, and kings. And the first words I utter to the King of Flame comes out as a stutter.

Shiris: Don't be so hard on yourself. You are being put into a whole new place with new people, of course your nervous around people of power. I mean for the rest of us, this life has become the norm, especially for Parn, Etoh, and Slayn.

Liara: (looking up) I have to say that coming from a small town to a castle is a big shock, but still I embarrassed myself in front of King Kashue.

Shiris: (looking to her) King Kashue is used to that, he is a king after all. (looking back in front of her) Hey I am going to go practice sword fighting want to come?

Liara: (shocked) I've never used a sword in my life.

Shiris: (surprised) Really? Well if you plan on staying then you had best learn something. Come on Orson and I will teach you a bit.

Outside the Castle.

Deedlit takes Parn outside the castle toward a clearing. The clearing is in the center of a dense group of trees and is outlines with a random floral arrangement of different colored flowers. The sunlight filters through the trees and lights up the entire place. .

Deedlit: (smiling) Well? What do you think?

Parn: (looking around stunned) Wow. This place is beautiful. How did you find it?

Deedlit: I don't just hang around the castle you know. I found this clearing while I was out enjoying the day.

Parn: Why were you in such a rush to bring me here though?

Deedlit: Well, I was kind of hoping for your opinion of something.

Parn: What's that?

Deedlit: (smiling) Well, what if we have our reception in the castle but have the ceremony out here, in this clearing?

Parn: (looking to Deedlit) Is that what you want? (Deedlit nods) All right then that's how we will do it.

From the bushes comes a low rustle, Parn and Deedlit turn and place their hands on their swords. From out of the brush comes an elfin guard, dressed as one of King Tesan's royal guard. .

Elf Guard: (bowing) Princess Deedlit, your father has sent me ahead to inform you of his arrival to the royal castle. He will arrive tomorrow.

Deedlit: (looking to Parn) Very well is that all?

Elfin Guard: No, if you would be so kind as to follow me, one of my fellow guards was wounded, and could use some aid.

Parn: (nodding) Very well.

The guard leads them to a river side clearing, upstream is a waterfall. The clearing is far away from the sight of the Valas guards. As Parn and Deedlit exit the forest Deedlit gets an odd feeling. .

Deedlit: (stopping) How much farther is your comrade? (her face displays her mistrust of his words)

Elf Guard: (pointing to a cave by the waterfall) I placed him in there as not to leave him vulnerable.

Parn: Fine lets go. (he heads to the cave and is puzzled when he sees that Deedlit doesn't follow him) What's wrong Deed?

Deedlit: (looking around) Something doesn't feel right.

Woman's Voice: Ahh but everything is right for us!

From the cave comes five elves (one of which is a high elf). Each one has a sword drawn, and they all charge Parn and Deedlit. Deedlit and Parn look to their guide and see that they have been lead into a trap. The elves stop and line up a few feet in front of Parn and Deedlit, from the cave comes a figure that Parn and Deedlit recognize in an instant. .

Parn: (in shock) Pirotess!

Deedlit: (equally astonished) That's impossible! She was killed in the battle with Shooting Star!

Pirotess: (calmly) As you can see I am quite alive. Now you will come with us now. But if you like you can resist and we can kill you here.

Parn: (angry look on his face) What do you want with us?

Pirotess: (smugly) What I want is to slay you where you stand, (she becomes very angry) for killing my beloved Ashrum! (regaining her composure) But, my new master wishes that I bring you back, alive.

Deedlit: (angered) Who are you taking orders from?

Pirotess: (anger returning to her voice) You shall find out soon enough.

The forgotten elf guard impostor sneaks behind Parn and Deedlit and, hitting them in the head with the hilt of his sword, knocks them out. .

The sun sets ending the day at the capital city of Valis, Roid, and Etoh sits at the tiers of the castle looking on as the guards close up the castle gates. .

Etoh: (mentally) Parn.

Princess Fiona and Slayn appear from behind him and follow his line of vision. .

Slayn: Don't worry Etoh, Parn and Deedlit probably just stopped somewhere for the night, I am sure that they will be back tomorrow.

Princess Fiona: (nodding) Yes.

Etoh: (not turning) No, something just doesn't feel right. I feel as though an old threat is returning.

Back at the cave that Pirotess and her compatriots had ambushed Parn and Deedlit from. Parn is unconscious and Deedlit is stirring. There is a lamp in the middle of the cave on a rock, There are six elves other than Pirotess. The other elves are all male and gathered at a makeshift table eating. Pirotess stands to the side looking out the cave entrance. Deedlit awakes. .

Deedlit: (stirring and looking around her eyes rest on Parn) Parn! (she goes to reach to him and sees her hands tied and her rapier gone, Parn is tied and the Holy sword is not seen)

Parn: (stirring) uhh...Deed?

Pirotess: (digested) Hmp. Such a touching scene. Enjoy it while you can.

Parn: What is it that you want with us?

Pirotess: I want? What I want is your lifeless body at my feet. But for now I will merely hold you here till my new master arrives.

Deedlit: (looking worried) How did you survive the battle with Shooting Star? We saw you fall off the cliff with Ashrum.

Pirotess: (smirking) How I survived is not your concern. Merely say that not just those born with in the Forest of No Return have an extended life.

Pirotess turns and leaves and two of the elf guards follow her. Outside Pirotess stops by the river and looks down and for a moment Ashrum's face appears. she is surprised and looks again but only sees herself. The two elf guards approach her, one is a dark elf and the other is the high elf that betrayed Parn and Deedlit. .

High elf: Hey just how long are we supposed to wait here huh?

Dark elf: Yeah.

Pirotess: (she looks away from the water) We wait as long as we have to. Understand?

Dark elf: (frightened) Y...yes.

Back inside the cave Parn and Deedlit are looking over their surroundings. Parn's eyes rest on Deedlit and he has a worried expression on his face. .

Parn: Deed, what was Pirotess talking about when she said that 'those born in the Forest of No Return have extended life'?

Deedlit: (looking to Parn) There are two types of elves in the world, the Dark elves and the High elves. Dark elves are elves that are born into this world which is why their skin turns a dark color. But High elves are those born in the Realm of the Fairies so the magic there keeps their skin a light color, High elves also have an unrecorded life span. Which means that we are practically immortal.

Parn: (confused) That means that you will live far past me right?

Deedlit: (shaking her head) Normally yes a High elf will out live a human, but I lost much of my life essence when I was on the alter of Kardis, so my life span has been severely shortened compared to the others of my kind.

Parn: Oh. (he is still confused)

Pirotess reenters alone and looks with disgust at Deedlit and Parn. From outside the sounds of swords clashing are suddenly heard. Pirotess looks up and three of the Dark elves run out the cave entrance. The sounds intensify and then stop. Pirotess attempts to look out the cave entrance into the darkness. From the cave opening two vials are tossed in and red smoke blinds the Pirotess and the other guard. Parn and Deedlit can't see but two pair of strong hands come out of the mist and grab them. The hands take them outside and set them on the ground cutting their ropes. A torch light comes over them and Etoh, Shiris, Orson, and Liara's faces are distinguishable.

Pirotess: (stumbling from the cave coughing) Kaff! Damn you! Kaff kaff.(she and her remaining elf companion streak into the forests)

Parn: (overjoyed) Etoh! How did you find us?

Etoh: (smiling) Well it turns out that Shiris and Orson are quite the trackers.

Shiris: (smugly) Well, you don't stay in the mercenary business as long as Orson and I have with out learning a few skills. Ay Orson?

Orson: (in his usual mellow voice) Parn, what did they want with you two?

Deedlit: (looking up and getting very serious) All I know is that who ever Pirotess is working for, must be quite powerful if they can force Pirotess to stay her revenge on us. (Parn nods in agreement)

Etoh: We had best head to the palace quickly, lest there should be more of them about.

They walk back the castle. Upon entering it Deedlit slows as if she feels some one watching her. Meanwhile in the forest by the castle Pirotess looks on, anger building in her eyes. .

Parn and Deedlit are beginning the preparations for their wedding, but forces are at work that seek to prevent the wedding from happening. But who is working behind Pirotess? And why is someone one trying to prevent the wedding? .

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