Elvenshore: 03 - Elf's Bane by Clark Graham

information about Vil Falcress and to report th e results of the battle to the Capital. It was getting dusk when a rider came back from Vil Falcress. “Sir,” he reported, “Chancellor Lanor has been found dead along the road just past Vil Falcress, along with his son Soric. The Village has been burnt to the ground and the men of the village were slaughtered. A Human army was found at Bon Garle and they report that the Elf women and children have made it safely to the swamplands where the Humans there are setting up shelters for them.”
    “A t least there is some good news about the villagers, among all the bad news we have had in recent days. I don’t know what the Chancellor was doing on the road but he managed to get himself killed just when we needed him most. His son was sent to find out about the villagers to save him from last night’s battle. Instead of doing him a favor, Armurous sent him to his death,” Bellios lamented. “With some of the villagers being safe, at least our race will go on after all this is said and done.”

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    Elvenshore
     
    Captain Hedris was staring into the morning mist.
    He knew that he should be seeing South Fort soon. He made a minor course correction. The mist was melting away by the morning sun and soon he was looking at the ramparts of the fortress city. He sent one of his sailors down to get Gilead.
    When Gilead arrived on deck, South Fort was still barely visible in the distance. He looked at Captain Hedris and said, “Fannor is sleeping; we will not disturb him because he needs his rest to heal.”
    Hedris handed him the spyglass and Gilead looked out  towards South Fort, “The banners of the governor still fly on top of the towers of the fort. The land has not been overthrown,” Gilead was relieved.
    “We do not know who controls the rest of the land, but the Humans still hold the fort,” Hedris replied.
    “We will upset them at our approach. Have the rest of the ships drop anchor in the bay and only this ship make for the dock. It will have been a long time since the land has seen a ship this size. All that I see around me is the small ships of their fishing fleet.” Gilead said.
    The signals were given and the other ships dropped anchor, while Hedris’ ship slowly sailed up to the dock.
      Commander Ives and Captain Ermort stood in the tower at South Fort that overlooked the harbor.  The fort had been watching the ships ever since they had sailed out of the morning mist. A guard had alerted the fort and even now alarm bells were ringing in the background. The solders of the fort were scrambling to their posts.
    Ives had a spyglass and was reporting on the movements, “Seven ships in all, six have weighed anchor and one is approaching the dock. They are Elf ships, but I have no idea if they are being sailed by the Elves.”
    “Why would they come in force? If they just wanted to make contact I think that they would have sent one, maybe two ships,” Ermort asked.
    “I don’t know . Go down there with your men, we will bar the gate behind you. If they are hostile, you will be on your own until we can reinforce you.”
    “I understand , Sir,” Ermort saluted as he left down the staircase.
    Ives turned to the guard . “Report to Governor Welch that there are seven ships of Elfish design now in the harbor. One of them is approaching the dock.”
    “Yes , Sir,” the guard replied and he headed down the stairs also.
     
    Captain Hedris guided his ship up next to the dock and two sailors jumped out to tie up the lines. Soon they were met by fifty armed Humans running down the dock with swords drawn. Upon seeing this, the sailors then jumped back onto the ship. The Human soldiers lined up on the dock, facing the ship when Ermort came out of the middle of them. “You cannot dock here without permission of the Governor of South Fort. State who you are, the reason for you visit and how many of you there are.”
    Gilead came to the rail of the