Okay, so I guess I am just addicted to writing this story..... ~The Elven-names~ Important Meeting

I dropped Mom's journal. And stared at this person who was aiming their bow at me.

He was tall, and his face was serious...evidently intent on aiming his arrow correctly. He narrowed his eyes at me. "If you aren't who I think you are, I loose this arrow." Great. That didn't make me feel any better.

The archer tilted his head. "So who are you?"

I took a deep breath. Since I didn't know who I was supposed to be, I might as well just say who i was. "I am Mirluin Faeron. I was supposed to meet someone here."

He grinned and set down his bow. "Good. I was supposed to meet you here, and make sure no spies of the enemy were about."

"So you are going to tell me more about this note I have?" I asked.

He laughed and shook his head. "No, I am just to escort you to the one who will."

*   *   *

 

After following Archer (hey, he hadn't told me his name) through the forest for awhile, we came to a place where the trees grew really thickly. Archer went around a larger-than-normal tree and ducked under a branch. I followed him, and it was then that I realized that I was in a palace, of sorts.

 

I walked forward slowly, looking around. There was no ceiling, but the trees made walls, and there were earthen banks and tables. It was lovely and majestic. At the far end of this hall of trees there was a large, magnificently carved, wooden chair. In it sat an old man. he lifted his head and looked at me. He smiled, and beckoned me forward. "Ah, you are Mirluin," he almost whispered. "So like your mother."

 

I bowed-it seemed right, somehow. "Who are you, sir?"

 

He smiled slowly. "I am the keeper of the legacy. And I will answer some, at least, of your questions."

 

I nodded. "Sir, why am I chosen to be the keeper of the lore?"

 

He looked at me gravely. "The keeper of the lore and the keeper of the legacy together decide who will be their heirs. Your mother wished you to be her successor, and I agreed with her. But you were not old enough until this year."

 

I nodded again. "But why me?"

 

The keeper of the lore sighed. "The keeper of the lore and the keeper of the legacy have great responsibilities. If ever both of them fail to leave a successor, the people of the elven-names will cease. There is a great power working to try to make this happen. And if this power triumphs, this world will lose much." He took a deep breath. "The keeper of the legacy holds an heirloom from ages ago--he wields it in order to keep the refuges of the elven-named together. The keeper of the lore--she has the responsibility of keeping remembrance of their past in the minds of the elven-named. They must both be Eldarhin. And the number of the Eldarhin is lessening, for the evil power is working against us."

 

I took a deep breath. "I have to do this?"

 

The deep brown eyes of the keeper of the lore looked at me gravely. "You have been called to it. But you can disregard the summons. The person I chose to be my successor did so; and now I must either choose another or soon the keeper of the lore will be a memory of the past."

 

 

*   *   *

 

Archer escorted me back to the place where I had met him. I turned and thanked him for bringing me.

 

He smiled. "Farewell, keeper of the lore. We may see each other again sooner than you know." Then he turned and disappeared into the forest. I looked after him. What could he have meant by that?

 

I picked up Mom's journal and turned to walk back to the house. And that's when I saw him. Dad was standing just outside the forest. He was frowning. Evidently he had seen me saying farewell to Archer. And he was not happy.