Cormyr_ a novel - Ed Greenwood [42]
The lean man shook his head. "The elves claim the wild forest, this part of the great forest known as Cormanthir-what you call the wolf woods, or Cormyr. Marsember is, as you may have noticed, a swamp. Two dozen, eh? Farmers like yourself?"
"Some are. Some will hunt, likely. There may be more. I can't very well speak for every human along the western shores."
"Leave the rothe-the forest buffalo. You can take enough deer for your settlement, but if you drive out the native herds, the elves will take their own measures. Take deadfall branches, not live wood for your fires and buildings… and I think they will let you stay."
"Extremely generous of them," said Ondeth sharply. "And where are these elven masters who we're being so gracious to?"
Baerauble looked at the large man, brows drawing down, as Ondeth continued. "I've been here with my family for four months now, and you're the first thinking creature we've seen since we left Marsember. Now you tell me this is elven land, and if I want to remain I have to tailor my life and that of my family to the dictates of these elves. I'll need a good reason to do that… a very good reason. So my question is-where are these elves?"
The thin man was still for a moment. Looking at him, Ondeth thought a stiff wind would uproot him. Then he said, "I will take you to them."
With both hands, the lean newcomer traced out a large circle in the air, indicating an area of the trodden ground around them as if he were one of the women back home telling Suzara how big her next gown was going to be. As he did so, he spat out a cascade of harsh words. Neither elvish nor the trade tongue, the words rolled out, rich and sinuous with power, and Ondeth almost shivered. These words were deep, they'd been old when the legendary dragons were young. As the bearded man moved his hands, they trailed scars of light in the air, lines of radiance that continued to glow and spread outward.
Ondeth took a step back and brought up his hammer, more to ward off the magic than attack the newcomer. The glow rose all around him, it was blinding for a moment.
And when it subsided, they were somewhere else.
"You're a wizard!" exclaimed Ondeth, realizing how stupid that sounded even as he said it. "You could have warned me," he added, and after another pause, "Suzara is going to be peeved if she finds me gone."
The mage stood stock-still. "You wanted to see the elves of Cormanthir. Watch."
They were standing somewhere deep in the forest, in cool, green shade. The woods were relatively free of ground cover. It felt to Ondeth as if he were in a green hail, the huge, moss-girt trees its pillars and the leaves above a roof of jade-colored glass. There was a sharpness to everything around him, as if the rest of the world had been wrapped in fog.
They were scattered around the two men in a rough line that curved like welcoming arms-or waiting claws. At first the elves were indistinguishable from the forest itself. Then Ondeth realized that they were dressed in tunics made of solid shades of green and yellow, and their trappings and accoutrements were gold.
The nearest elf was a female, her features clear and sharp enough to etch glass. She was dressed like the others. Ondeth saw that her tunic was really a chain mail shirt, its links so small that they appeared as no more than loops of fabric. She held a thin ivory spear, its barbed tip of beaten gold.
She shifted her head to regard the two humans. Ondeth suddenly felt as rough and uncouth as a dung-smeared hobgoblin in his worn linen jacket and heavy pants.
Then she smiled, a thin flash of pure white between her lips, and it was as if daylight had broken through the forest canopy. A small smile, but enough to lift Ondeth's heart above the trees.
The smile was not for him. Baerauble the wizard bowed with stiff formality back at the elf, but his face was wide with a grin. Ondeth felt a flash of jealousy.
"What…" he began, but the mage raised a hand, stilling his question before it could be asked.
"It's